Eagles Fall To Kemp, Miss Playoffs

KEMP — Canton’s quest to return to the Class 3A playoffs for a fourth straight year came up short with a 34-21 loss to Kemp on Friday.

The Yellowjackets ended an 11-year playoff drought with their rushing game, which rolled up 355 yards. Senior Josh Carr led the way with 165 yards on 30 carries to take him over the 1,000-yard rushing mark this season.

Eagle quarterback Chance Wallace threw for 271 yards and two touchdowns. However, Kemp maintained a lead throughout the second half with two Canton turnovers playing a big part.

Canton head coach Lance Angel complimented Kemp’s performance.

"They did a great job and their coaching staff did, too. They deserve a lot of credit. I’m proud of our seniors and this team. We all wish it could have been different," he said.

Early on, it looked like a scoring slugfest in progress. The Eagles (5-5 overall, 2-3 District 14-3A) took just 43 seconds into the game to notch a touchdown on a 34-yard Wallace pass to Devon Talley.

Jonathon Huddle connected on the first of three extra-point kicks to make it 7-0

Kemp (5-5, 3-2) did not take long to answer, taking over at its 46 after a good kickoff return by James Trim. Korey Henderson cashed in on a 36-yard run and Bryan Fivecoat added the PAT.

A Canton fumble gave the ball back to Kemp and the Yellowjackets took their first lead late in the first quarter. Wesley Kerr dived across the goal line from the 1 for the touchdown.

However, the Eagles stormed back early in the second quarter. A 41-yard pass play from Wallace to Trent Termin set up Zack Cummings’ 1-yard touchdown.

Canton’s Jesse Bengston then recovered a high, short kickoff and the Eagles got inside the Kemp 10-yard line.

The ’Jackets defense, though, stopped Wallace short on a fourth down play at the Kemp 7.

Canton’s defense, led most of the night by Destry Hesskew, Carey Bell, Jonathon Roppollo and Tanner Smith, forced a punt by the ’Jackets from the Kemp 26 but gave the ball right back on a roughing-the-kicker penalty.

"There were some times where we had some momentum or opportunities to grab momentum," Angel said. "For one reason or another, we didn’t grab. We didn’t take advantage of opportunities we had."

Given new life, the Kemp offense turned once again to Carr, Kerr and Henderson for a clock-chewing scoring drive that ended with quarterback Jeremy Quick scoring from the 1.

Kemp head coach Greg Anderson praised the work of his backfield.

"First and foremost, credit goes to the offensive line anytime you can run the ball like that," he said. But we had the ability to mix it up tonight…keep them off balance and we just kept making first downs.

"Whether it was four yards at a time or 14 yards, we got what we needed," Anderson added.

That said, it was a 19-yard touchdown pass from Quick to Kerr that gave Kemp a 10-point lead for the second time in the third quarter. Fivecoat connected on two of three field goal opportunities, one from 22 yards and the other from 36.

Canton got to within three points, 24-21, on a third-quarter touchdown pass from Wallace to Grant Franklin from the Kemp 3.

However, cornerback Joseph Weeks picked off a Wallace throw at the Kemp 15 just before the end of the third quarter.

With the Yellowjackets up 34-21, Ray Hodges recovered a Canton fumble on a kickoff return in the fourth quarter to effectively end the Eagles’ comeback chances.

Talley finished with eight catches for 110 yards for Canton. Cummings led the rushing game with 61 yards on 13 carries.