Cherokees defeat Bengals in Peanut Bowl

By John W. PeelerNovember 27, 2013

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(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT BENNING, Ga., (Nov. 27, 2013) -- The Eastway Cherokees won their second consecutive Peanut Bowl Saturday in the 11- to 13-year-old Midget Division by beating the Fort Benning Bengals 19-12.

The two teams split during the regular season with each team winning on the road and on the grand stage at A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium, the teams battled for the title of Peanut Bowl champion.

Defense ruled during the first half with both teams gaining yards and first downs, but it wasn't until the final nine seconds of the half when Cherokees' running back Quantavious Hill broke the scoreless tie on a 2-yard touchdown run. The point after was good and the Cherokees took a 7-0 lead into the halftime intermission.

Following halftime, the Bengals made quick work of getting back in the game when Dishaun Woods took the second half kickoff back 46 yards to set the Bengals up with a first-and-10 at the Cherokees' 15-yard line.

Three plays later, Dishaun brought the Bengals to within one point on a 3-yard touchdown run with 9:15 remaining in the third quarter. The point after failed and the Bengals trailed 7-6.

Eastway answered on their next drive, scoring in two plays when Terrell Gordon took it the distance on a 42 yard touchdown run. The extra point failed and the Cherokees took a 13-6 lead with eight minutes left in the third quarter.

The Cherokees held the Bengals to a four-and-out with six minutes left in the third quarter and began a 15-play drive that ate up nearly eight minutes and scored on a Jaylen Flowers 4-yard run to put the Cherokees up 19-6.

With time running out in the fourth quarter, the Bengals put one more touchdown on the scoreboard, scoring on a 24-yard strike from Dishaun to Kywan Woods. With a failed two-point conversion, the Bengals trailed 19-12 with 55 seconds remaining in the game.

The Bengals lined up for an attempted onside kick, but the Cherokees recovered the ball on their own 42-yard line, and two kneel downs later sealed the deal with their second consecutive Peanut Bowl title.