Hardaway snaps 19-game losing streak with 33-30 win over Chattahoochee County

There were no tears coming from the Hardaway sideline on Thursday at A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium. Those are reserved for championship performances or award ceremonies, not for the second game of the regular season.

But the slightest of trembles briefly graced coach Jeff Battles’ voice as he spoke after the Hawks’ 33-30 victory over Chattahoochee County, ending a 19-game losing streak dating back to the third week of the 2013 season.

“Amazing. It’s amazing,” Battles said before briefly pausing to collect himself. “To battle like we did and to find a way to finish — it’s just amazing.”

Hardaway had last won a football game on Sept. 6, 2013, defeating Columbus 21-7. After that, they were bested 19 straight times, failing to score more than 27 points in a single game in each contest. Last season, the Hawks never broke 19 and totaled just 90 for the entire 10-game schedule.

On Thursday, they reeled off 23 in the first half, making it back-to-back weeks of 21 or more, and finished with 33 for the game.

Last week’s 47-21 loss to Tri-Cities provided some signs of improvement, but Thursday didn’t have to be about a moral victory.

It could be seen in the players, who waited with bated breath as officials made a measurement on a complete pass from Chattahoochee County quarterback C.J. Afoa to Justin Dore on fourth down with just 1:21 remaining in the game. When the first-down marker was stretch about two feet beyond the football, the Hawks sideline erupted in excitement.

The team shook hands with the Panthers and then sprinted to the stands to celebrate with parents and peers. The smile didn’t leave linebacker Jonathon Mack’s face, who threw his arms up in the air in submission when he couldn’t find the words to describe the feeling.

“It’s hard to speak,” he said. “It just means that much.”

Coaches often toss around the phrase “team win,” but on Thursday the Hawks really did get contributions from every unit on their team.

In the first half, it was running back Marco Lee, who rushed for 123 yards before intermission, including a 70-yard touchdown to give the Hawks a 7-0 lead less than three minutes into the game. Lee finished the game with 151 yards and a score on 11 carries.

“My offensive line was great,” Lee said. “They did everything they needed to do, and I just tried to do my best.”

In both halves, but especially the second, it was the defensive unit that came up with big stop after big stop. After wide receiver Ja’Kobe Ellerbee hauled in a 34-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Dominique Ford on fourth-and-8 to give Hardaway a 33-30 lead, the defense forced a three-and-out for Chattahoochee County’s normally explosive offense.

When Hardaway fumbled the ball away on the second play of the ensuing driving, giving the Panthers one final chance from the Hawks’ 41 with three minutes remaining, the defense held and forced a turnover on downs on four plays.

And Battles singled out perhaps the most important player of the night, kicker Freddie Zamudio, who nailed field goals of 44 and 33 yards and made two potential touchdown-saving tackles on kickoffs.

“He might be the MVP tonight,” Battles said.

There were certainly mistakes. The Hawks turned the ball over five times, all on fumbles, four of which were recovered by Panthers linebacker Isaiah Carter. While the run defense and pass rush was impeccable, the secondary was beat over the top on a couple of occasions by Afoa, who finished 6-of-20 for 118 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. And kick returner Cory Dixon beat the kickoff squad for a 99-yard touchdown return to tie the game at 7-7 and ran another one back 78 yards later in the game.

Those are all things the Hawks can improve after seeing the work in practice result in success on the field.

“This takes a huge monkey off our back,” Battles said. “It takes that stigma off our back. This isn’t a moral victory, it’s a victory. And it’s a win we can build off of.”

Thursday at A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium

ChattCo 15 8 0 7—30

Hardaway 14 9 3 7—33

First Quarter

H—Marco Lee 70 run (Freddie Zamudio kick); 9:10

CC—Cory Dixon 99 kickoff return (Mateo Gonzalez kick); 8:53

H—Jeremiah Green 14 interception return (Zamudio kick); 3:58

CC—Dixon 54 pass from C.J. Afoa (Dixon run); 3:01

Second Quarter

H—Jaquan Daniels 13 pass from Dominique Ford (kick failed); 3:18

CC—Dixon 6 pass from Afoa (Mackery White pass from Afoa); :28

H—Zamudio 44 field goal; :00

Third Quarter

H—Zamudio 33 field goal; 2:25

Fourth Quarter

CC—Justin Dore 2 run (Gonzalez kick); 6:53

H—Ja’Kobe Ellerbee 34 pass from Ford (Zamudio kick); 4:45

Records: Chattahoochee County, 0-1; Hardaway 1-1. Next: Chattahoochee County, Friday at Calhoun County; Hardaway, Friday vs. Jordan at Kinnett Stadium.

This story was originally published August 27, 2015 at 10:36 PM with the headline "Hardaway snaps 19-game losing streak with 33-30 win over Chattahoochee County."