Depleted Northeast offense, weak defense no match for Peach County Trojans in 40-21 loss at FVSU

The Northeast Raiders could not overcome multiple missing pieces on offense Friday night in Fort Valley, as they lost to the Peach County Trojans in a 40-21 blowout under the night lights.

The game, which was the last matchup of the Gridiron Classic’s Friday slate, got out of hand quickly for the Raiders, though the biggest blow came when quarterback Lewis Cheney needed an ambulance to leave the field after an injury at the end of the third quarter.

“He was talking and responding out there on the field,” head coach Jeremy Wiggins said of Cheney after the game. “That’s a good sign, and we’ll just have to wait for updates.”

Cheney became the new starting quarterback this season after impressing Northeast coaches with his arm. Last year’s starter Reginald Glover remains an important part of the offense as a jack of all trades. He replaced Cheney for stints early in the game, then took on full-time after Cheney’s injury and scored some garbage time touchdowns for the Raiders.

While the injury cast a shadow on the latter part of the game, the offense fell flat well before Cheney’s exit. 

The running game never got going without Woodford, only picking up steam in the final quarter with Glover under center. Cheney struggled to complete passes thanks to Peach County’s consistent pressure.

Northeast’s defense struggled as well, unable to contain the Trojans’ efficient offense as quarterback DJ Hudson gashed them at will both on the ground and through the air. Running back Ashton Barton was the star of the show, though, scoring two rushing touchdowns and another receiving to snag a hat trick.

The Trojans’ scores often came in big chunk plays and, whether it was an impressive run or an aired-out long ball, there tended to be a Raider defender with hands on his head in the endzone at the end of the sequence.

Peach County led 40-7 at halftime.

“Just got to learn how to overcome it and work on some technique stuff. Too many big plays, some things we need to change,” Wiggins said. “We’ll be alright, though, we’ll work through it.”

The Raiders played without two key offensive contributors. Nick Woodford sat the game out as he continued to recover from a torn ACL he suffered last year, while standout receiver Kevon Conciauro transferred to Houston County roughly a week ahead of the season.

“It’s kind of hard, and with the news (of Conciauro transferring) and stuff like that, we got hit with a curveball and changed the dynamic of the team a little bit,” Wiggins said. “But it’s early, and the good thing is that it’s not a region game. So you can get right back to it.”

Even with the notable absences, the Northeast defense frustrated fans. Though the Raiders stopped Peach County on its opening drive, nearly every other possession of the first half resulted in points for the Trojans.

“We’ll learn from it, they have a great team. We’ll look at the film tomorrow, break it down,” Wiggins said. “We’ll get back to it Monday after we break it down.”

Even Northeast’s smaller attempts to swing momentum that did go well frequently came with baggage — a big interception in the endzone that was returned 70 yards for great field position was re-ruled to be a touchback instead, for example.

By the time the first half was over, the Trojans had a 40-7 lead. The Raiders were rattled for the rest of the contest, dropping screen passes and not playing their best football. Peach County used reserves for the entirety of the second half.

Cheney’s injury capped the third quarter and took the air out of the building. While it was a bright spot for Northeast that Glover and the depleted offense showed resilience and scored twice late, the game was well over by the final period as the Trojans came away with a 40-21 win.