For C.A. Johnson fans it’s time to party like it’s 1985. That was the last time the Green Hornets hosted a playoff game. It was also the last postseason win for C.A. Johnson.
C.A. Johnson finished the regular season 5-3 overall and 3-1 in Region 2-A and is a No. 2 seed in the A playoffs. As a result, the Green Hornets get to host the Wagener-Salley War Eagles in the first round of the playoffs Friday, November 5.
“The guys are excited. We’re excited,” head coach Scotty Dean said. “The staff is excited. The playoffs are the best time of the year.”
The 2021 postseason appearance also marks C.A. Johnson’s fourth straight playoff appearance coming off its second straight winning season. The culture is definitely changing for the Green Hornets, and they hope the postseason success drought will soon be history.
“It is no secret our guys want to do well,” Dean said. “They practice and play hard. We’ve done a lot of things here that haven’t been done in a while. It’s been a big year for these guys. They are a pleasure to work with. They’ve done everything we’ve asked them to do.”
C.A. Johnson will host a 4-6 Wagener-Salley group that Dean feels is one of the toughest draws the Green Hornets could receive.
“They have athletes all over the place,” Dean said. “They do a lot of things well. It’s going to be a tough game for our guys.”
In order for C.A. Johnson to pull off the win, the offense will have to play well. Through eight games, the Green Hornets are averaging 31.5 points per game.
Quarterback Isom Harris has had another solid season. The senior signal caller has completed 54-of-81 passes for 1,224 yards and eight touchdowns.
He has had an abundance of talent to throw to including running backs Dawan Rice, who has a team high 13 receptions for 247 yards and three touchdowns, and CeCe Bailey, who has nine receptions for 217 yards. Jarick Peterson has eight receptions for 195 yards and two touchdowns, and DeJaylin Jacobs has four receptions for 148 yards and two scores.
Rice and Bailey have also spearheaded the Green Hornets’ rushing attack that is averaging 176.6 yards per game. Rice is the team’s leading rusher with 861 yards and 19 touchdowns on 90 carries. Bailey has 290 yards and two touchdowns on 37 carries.
The C.A. Johnson offense may find a fair amount of success against a War Eagles’ defense surrendering 35.1 points per game.
On the other side of the ball, the Green Hornets defense, which is giving up a meager 17.1 points per game, will have to slow down Wagener-Salley’s offense that is scoring an average of 30.2 points per game.
History, along with a second round playoff game, is on the line for C.A. Johnson.
According to Dean, the team will have to take care of the football, play well on defense, play sound football, and have success in the rushing game to have a chance at winning.
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