Woodlawn rolls to 41-0 win

• By CHRIS JONES
• Special to The Advocate
• Published: Oct 31, 2009

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A torrential downpour and a rain-soaked field did little to slow down running back Demarcaze Givens or the Woodlawn Panthers as they marched toward a 41-0 win over Tara at Olympia Stadium Friday.

Givens treaded through the sloppy playing surface rushing 24 times for 177 yards and three scores.

He also added three receptions for 77 yards and another touchdown on a 65-yard pass on a quick slant. On the night, Givens finished with 254 yards all-purpose yardage and broke Woodlawn High’s record for rushing touchdowns in a single season.

“Every week except for one week, we played in the rain and I haven’t seen the statistic, but (for) No. 25 (Demarcaze Givens), it doesn’t affect him,” said Woodlawn head coach Don Jones of Givens, who has 21 rushing touchdowns on the season.

“He’s as good a receivers as he his a running back. I’m sure he’s over 1,000 yards.”

The Panthers’ (6-3, 5-1 District 7-4A) rushing attack chewed up the Trojans (3-6, 3-3 District 7-4A) defense and much of the turf at Olympia Stadium, running the ball 47 times for 279. Thanks to a more-than-effective running game, quarterback Kendall Barnes was able to complete a couple of long passes, hitting 8-of-11 passes for 170 and three touchdowns.

“One of the things that I keep harping on is, after the Redemptorist game, for about four weeks we didn’t have No. 24 Carey Ford, our fullback,” said Jones. “He, along with that offensive line, makes us go. We’re peaking at the right time.”

The Panthers scored on plays of 18, 49, 65 and 30.

But it was the Panthers defense that set the tone on the other side of the ball from the opening kick.

The Panthers forced consecutive three-and-outs on the Trojans first three possessions in the first half. Only one of the Trojans’ six first-half possessions ended in Woodlawn territory when quarterback Curtis Broom pass was intercepted by Charles McKee and returned to the Woodlawn 20. That interception led to a fingertip grab by Givens on a 65-yard touchdown catch with 41 seconds before the half.

Broom finished 1-for-9 for 19 yards and two interceptions. For the game, Tara finished with only 87 yards total offense and six first downs.

Running back Alvin Hayes finished as the team’s leading rusher with 37 yards on six carries.

“We thought we were still in the game when it was 6-0, and had a goal-line stand down there,” said Tara head coach Ron LeJeune. “Then before we knew it, they hit two long pass plays on us which we sure didn’t expect.”