Grimsley Offense Explodes, Devours Buccaneers 55-12
from Mike Fanning, for GreensboroSports.com
On a night that was warm but veiled in a soft, hanging fog, the Grimsley Whirlies delivered an absolutely stunning performance, steamrolling the Jack Britt Buccaneers 55-12 in the third round of the 7A playoffs. The Whirlies’ offense picked up where they left off last week, putting up four touchdowns in a blazing first quarter, while the defense added two critical interceptions to set the tone for a completely dominant victory.
As fans were still making their way to their seats in a packed Jamison Stadium, Grimsley running back Ty Shoemake took the handoff and dashed 54 electrifying yards, immediately putting the Whirlies on the board at 7-0. The ensuing Jack Britt drive was ended in an interception, giving the Whirlies prime field position.
Three plays later, quarterback Faizon Brandon uncorked a beautiful pass down the middle to a streaking DJ Howerton for a 52-yard touchdown catch, making it 14-0 less than four minutes into the contest. The ensuing kickoff proved disastrous for the Buccaneers, as they fumbled the ball, and Grimsley recovered it on their 15-yard line. Just one play later, Brandon found Kaden Catoe for his second passing touchdown in as many throws, pushing the score to a staggering 21-0 with barely five minutes off the clock.
Jack Britt briefly responded when senior tailback Eric Payne rumbled in from 8 yards out late in the first, trimming the lead to 21-6. But Grimsley had one more punch before the quarter expired: Brandon connected with Khyan Battle for a 3-yard touchdown reception, ending the first quarter with the Whirlies holding a big 28-6 advantage.
The dominance continued into the second quarter. After a Buccaneers punt, Grimsley went on the hunt again, and it was Kaden Catoe who provided the highlight of the night. Stuck in no-man’s land on fourth down from the Bucs 33-yard line, coach Brown left the offense on the field. The next play, Brandon went to the air. In what I dubbed the catch of the season, Catoe went into a superman-like, full-extension dive in the back of the endzone to somehow haul in the receiving touchdown. The incredible catch sent the packed house nuts, and the score swelled to 35-6. Before halftime, the Whirlies CB Harris-Dupree picked off Gavin Stokes to set up the Whirlies in prime real estate at the Bucs 20-yard line. Grimsley then added one more score for good measure, and it was (guess who) Catoe again, this time on a 15-yard connection, to make it 42-6 at the intermission. Catoe finished the first 24 minutes with four catches for 78 yards and three touchdowns.
With the running clock in effect for the second half, the pace slowed, but the Grimsley scoring did not. After a Jack Britt punt, Brandon continued to lead the charge, culminating in Ty Shoemake’s second touchdown of the game, a 38-yard run that pushed the score to 48-6. Shoemake was virtually unstoppable on the ground, finishing with a staggering 162 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns on just 9 carries. He ended the game averaging 18 yards per tote.
Jack Britt managed a fourth-quarter score when Emorrian Towns rushed in from 15 yards out. However, backup QB Brody Lowe and the second string Whirlies offense had the final answer, as Lowe found Jordan Davis for a 32-yard touchdown pass, sealing the final score at 55-12.
In a truly elite offensive display, the Grimsley Whirlies scored touchdowns on seven of their eight possessions. Quarterback Faizon Brandon was surgical all night, completing 12 of 15 passes for 212 yards and 5 touchdowns. The Grimsley Whirlies advance confidently to the next round. They will now host the Reagan Raiders on Black Friday for a Thanksgiving weekend showdown.