Chattahoochee 21, North Atlanta 14

Chattahoochee’s ascension to the level of stout squads in Region 7-AAAAAA continued its escalator-style mobility following a 21-14 win against host-team North Atlanta at Lakewood Stadium.

The Cougars’ offense didn’t put forth the best showing on the scoreboard, but they did just enough to secure the victory.

“This was a weird week. Preparation is off. Everything’s off. You know to set yourself up for a defensive battle because the offense takes time to get going,” said Chattahoochee head coach Vince Strine. “We knew the defense was going to have to play well and they did. Fortunately, we had one or two more big plays than they did.”

Quarterback Jack Corrigan had a busy evening, throwing for two touchdowns and rushing for another to pace the team.

“We knew it would be a tough game due to the hurricane. We had three practices. We prepared as best as we could. Overall, it wasn’t the best game, but it’s always nice to pull out a win. The O-line always keeps me safe. They count on me to throw and it’s a good match,” said Corrigan

Chattahoochee’s initial score came in the second quarter when Corrigan hit Willie Lee on an inside slant for a 5-yard touchdown. This 7-0 lead would hold up through halftime.

In the third quarter, Corrigan’s legs were the catalyst for the Cougars. Facing fourth-and-three outside of field goal range, the senior broke free on a 29-yard dash across the goal line for a 13-0 score.

North Atlanta’s first trip to the end zone came on a 73-yard rainbow pass from Wiley Hartley to Deondre Ezzard. The speedster blew by the man coverage, giving the Warriors new life and cutting the deficit to 13-7.

The winds of change and momentum were swirling through the stadium in favor of the Warriors. However, two plays later, Chattahoochee sucked out the air from North Atlanta when Corrigan and Andrew Thomas joined forces on an 80-yard touchdown. Thomas took the quick hit and his athleticism did the rest, making the game 21-7 in favor of the Cougars.

North Atlanta added a late touchdown to shrink Chattahoochee’s lead to 21-14. The Warriors would also find themselves in position to draw even with under two minutes on the clock. However, on fourth-and-16, Hartley heaved up a pass which was snatched by Thomas to secure the victory.

After dropping the season opener versus Pickens, Chattahoochee has won three in a row. The Cougars are 2-0 in region play. Up next for the Cougars, a home date with Dunwoody.

Friday’s loss was the first defeat of the season for North Atlanta. The Warriors host Marietta next week.

“We came out slow. With everything going on this week. We had one day of practice. Thursday was our first day to practice. We make no excuses. Certainly, I feel for those who were out much more than a football game,” said North Atlanta head coach Jeremey Gainer. “This had a great impact on us. To only to be able to practice on Thursday and play a game on Friday – we were handcuffed by that. That’s what we were mandated to do. Fulton County practiced throughout the week. At the end of the day, you have to prepare for success. Again, we make no excuses. Chattahoochee’s a great team and they proved that again tonight.”