The Johns Creek Gladiators battled hard Friday night against Chattahoochee but ultimately fell short, 26-18, after a strong start and a determined fourth-quarter comeback attempt.
Johns Creek came out firing, building an early 10-0 advantage before Chattahoochee responded with a pair of scores to even the game at 10-10 heading into halftime. The second half proved challenging for the Gladiators as costly mistakes allowed Chattahoochee to seize momentum and extend its lead to 26-10.
Refusing to quit, Johns Creek answered with a touchdown and two-point conversion to cut the deficit to one possession. After the defense came up with a key stop, the Gladiators had an opportunity to drive for the tying score, but were unable to find the end zone in the closing minutes.
Defensively, Johns Creek was led by a standout performance from John Michael Sengbusch, who recorded 11 total tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 quarterback pressure, and a forced fumble. Akachi Nwizubo added 8 tackles and a forced fumble, while Elijah Antoine contributed 7 tackles. Dayo Nonye-John made his presence felt all over the field with 7 tackles and 2 pass breakups.
Offensively, quarterback Jake Blackwelder paced the Gladiators, rushing 19 times for 85 yards and 2 touchdowns while completing 13-of-20 passes. Michael Hanley provided a strong ground attack with 74 rushing yards on 14 carries and added 3 receptions for 29 yards. As a team, Johns Creek totaled 333 yards of offense.
The Gladiators will use this week's bye to regroup and prepare for the start of region play. Johns Creek returns to action at home on September 25th when they host Milton.
