COLUMBUS — West High School is a City League champion for the first time in half a century. The Cowboys beat host South 14-0 on Friday night, Oct. 16, in a muddy battle of unbeaten teams, clinching at least a share of their first City League-South title since 1975.
West improved to 9-0 overall and 6-0 in the City League-South with the shutout. South, which entered the night unbeaten as well, fell to 8-1 and 5-1, its league title hopes now depending on help in the final week of the regular season.
The Cowboys won despite being outgained 200-124. The game’s biggest play came on special teams, when Bradley Binion returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown, and West’s defense did the rest, recording a shutout against a South team that had been one of the league’s most consistent offenses all season.
West came up with three takeaways. Senior Natiere Austin and sophomore Drayton Morris each intercepted a pass — Morris’s eighth interception of the season — and linebacker George Carter, who also recorded a sack, recovered a fumble late to help seal the win.
Conditions shaped everything. Players on both teams slipped repeatedly on the wet grass, although the rain itself held off until after the game. South committed 15 penalties for 90 yards, including five straight flags in one first-quarter sequence, one of which wiped out a 47-yard touchdown pass. West was flagged 13 times for 130 yards of its own.
Carter’s presence in the middle of that defense was itself unlikely. He said he had temporarily walked away from football after last fall and had to be persuaded by friends to return in the first week of school. “This is our breakout season; we had the talent and just had to pull it all together,” Carter said. “It’s a blessing to play in this type of situation.”
West coach Eric Robinson said the game came down to which team handled adversity better. “We didn’t play our best,” Robinson said. “We overcame mistakes, a lot of slips, a lot of penalties.” South’s defense, which had allowed an average of just 7.6 points per game entering the night, held West’s offense largely in check, but the Bulldogs could not overcome the punt-return score and their own mistakes.
Both teams close the regular season in Week 10 with playoff positioning at stake. West entered Friday ranked eighth in Division II, Region 8 and South ninth in Division III, Region 11, with the top 12 teams in each region qualifying for the postseason.
