Westside strikes again: Seminoles defeat rival Howard 41-34 in another barnburner

When Westside coach Spoon Risper called a timeout with six seconds left in the Seminoles’ game against the Howard Huskies on Friday night, it may well have been the most important timeout of his career.

With a 35-34 lead in his pocket, Risper called time just as the Huskies snapped the ball on a would-be field goal try, a kick that — if it sailed through the uprights — would give Howard a two-point win over the Seminoles, its first victory in the rivalry since 2019. 

Even after the timeout, Howard kicker Barack Vocke booted the pigskin anyway, sending it tumbling end-over-end toward the uprights from 28 yards out.

The kick looked good, until the whistles blew it dead. From the Howard side of Thompson Stadium, it seemed to hurtle through the goalposts. Players jumped in esctacy as fans hooted and hollered — the whistles were only background noise, not to be heeded for a few more seconds.

But it was not to be.

The Huskies instead had to line up again, and this time Vocke’s kicked was blocked with ease. The Seminoles added insult to injury as James Neville scooped up the blocked kick and took it the distance to finalize a 41-34 Westside win.

“They just iced us. You see it all the time on Sundays, and it works on Fridays, too,” Howard head coach Trey Porter said of the timeout that nullified what could have been a program-altering field goal. “He makes that field goal routinely, but they got a good push on the block and they got close enough to our long snapper and blocked.”

The victory — Westside’s fourth straight win over Howard to come by only one score — came after a game packed with eight combined turnovers, multiple long kick returns and more of the chaos that has, in recent years, become the calling card of this matchup. 

“It’s just a Westside tradition. That’s all I can say,” Seminoles head coach Sheddrick “Spoon” Risper said. “My kids’ll never quit on us… our kids just don’t quit. They’re gonna fight and play ‘til the end. That’s all that we know.”

If not for the touchdown return after the field goal block, it would have been the second one-point differential between the ‘Noles and Huskies in four years.

Howard got off to a fast start, leading 14-0 in the first half thanks to early turnovers and a punt return touchdown, and ran the ball very consistently all night. Julius Ramsey finished with 103 yards and a touchdown, while Jaidon Grayer also chipped in some carries.

The biggest difference maker all night might have been quarterback Kingsley Ware, who battled for the Huskies in a two-QB system along with Joshua Ussery. Ware had more than 100 yards on the ground and through the air, even after getting banged up in the second half.

“That kid’s resilient. It’s one of those situations where I don’t name the starter until we get out there. Him and (Ussery) are both going, you’ll see a lot of them throughout the season,” Porter said of Ware’s performance under center. “He made some throws, he threw a pick but he was able to help us in the run game and hit some passes. He makes the right reads and is a pass threat, a run threat and good in the option.”

But the Huskies turned the ball over four times — two of those came in the red zone, one of which was a fumble inside the 5-yard line — and were doomed by other mistakes, including penalties.

“We could commend ‘em for the effort, but we don’t want a moral victory. I feel like we were the better team, but Coach Spoon over there, it’s something with his program in the rivalry,” Porter said. “He’s 12-2 now against Howard. I hugged him and talked to him and said, ‘Bro, I don’t know what you do to your team.’ 

“In these situations — I looked back at the history — this year will make four losses to (Westside) by a combined 20 points.”

Westside had problems passing, as quarterback James Neville overthrew several open looks, but forcing turnovers helped them get good field position. 

The Seminoles also had a knack for explosive plays — an 80-yard kick return here, a 43-yard run there — that set them up in the red zone despite not having any completely consistent possessions on offense.

That helped them tie it up at 14-14 after Howard had its quick start. The two teams then traded scores, with Howard taking a 21-14 lead before the Seminoles scored twice with the help of solid play from running backs Tyleik Flint and Kaleb Blount to go up 28-21 late in the third quarter, their first lead of the game.

The Huskies tied things up with about six minutes left on a scramble by Ware, then took advantage of a bad Westside snap. Jamal Ivery scooped up the fumble and ran it all the way inside the 5-yard line where, even after penalties, Howard scored thanks to a nice run by receiver Jarrius Gibson to take the lead.

Though the missed extra point on that drive with less than four minutes left did not bother the Howard faithful in the stands, it would come back to haunt the Huskies.

Westside drove down the field, manufacturing an excellent two-minute drill. The Seminoles even drew Howard offsides on a crucial fourth-and-short with only two minutes left, a result that drew excruciating groans from Husky fans. 

Westside’s quarterback Neville came up clutch to finish it off, making up for earlier overthrows by scoring the go-ahead touchdown when he bounced a red zone carry outside for six.

The rest was history, as a promising Howard drive came up short thanks to Risper’s timely timeout and Neville’s touchdown return on the ensuing block.

“With coaches it’s just like playing chess. You gotta always think one play ahead, you can’t be thinking about the play you just called, everything is ahead,” Risper said. “Hats off to coach Trey Porter. He’s a heck of a coach, he’s a competitor and his kids compete. 

“If they play every game like they just played us, they can win the region, they really can.”

Westside will face Prince Avenue Christian on the road in Athens next week, while Howard is set to play another Macon rival, Rutland, at home.