The secret to Germantown's gritty win over Houston? Iron sharpens iron
A defensive dogfight had suddenly turned into an offensive showdown at Houston High's Landers Stadium on Friday night.
Germantown’s Cordero Walker silenced Houston's whiteout student section when he scampered more than 20 yards for the go-ahead touchdown with 8:06 left in the fourth quarter.
Houston didn’t take long to respond when a 6-yard touchdown on a fourth down speed option pitch to Damon Sisa made it a one-point game with less than four minutes to play.
That’s when Germantown coach Gene Robinson III told Taeshawn Jefferson to "go for it."
Not because it was a fourth-down play, but as Houston lined up for the extra-point attempt, the game was likely heading for overtime.
As the Mustangs snapped the ball, Jefferson — Germantown's senior leader — came flying around the edge and felt a "little sting" on his hand. That's when he knew he helped the Red Devils escape Houston with a 14-13 win off a blocked extra point.
"All week we had been studying their film and the way they put their specials teams," Jefferson said. "One side they had kind of weak. It's just my coach trusting me. I thank coach for trusting me."
Germantown's complementary pieces
Germantown's two stars of the game couldn't have had more different stories, but their complementary styles of play could be a glimpse of how the Red Devils (3-0) can reach their ultimate goals.
Walker is a transfer quarterback from Haywood County who came to Germantown for a change of scenery. He's still finding his groove — he threw two interceptions to Houston's Derrick Miller on Friday night — but he impressed Robinson with his poise.
Walker scored on a 7-yard touchdown run with 9:09 left in the second quarter. The game turned into a battle of defenses until Walker hit the hole in the open field and scored his second touchdown in the fourth quarter. Even through the offensive struggles, the defense's confidence never wavered.
"He is the best quarterback in the state," Jefferson said. "It's nobody better than No. 2."
Jefferson has been at Germantown all four years with Robinson. The two arrived together during the COVID-19 pandemic, and now Jefferson has become one of the defensive leaders.
The defense flew toward the ball and held a Mustangs offense with dynamic weapons in check. A stout defensive line got consistent push. Even when Houston (1-2) scored late in the fourth quarter, it had two rushes from the 1-yard line and another incomplete pass from the 6-yard line before capitalizing on fourth down.
"(The defense) was thrilling," Robinson said. "We knew coming in to this year how much experience and talent we had on the defensive line, secondary and linebacker room. We understand we gone have to lean on those guys until we can get rolling and crank this thing up like we want to crank it up."
Iron sharpens iron
Jefferson took a deep breath and blew out air as if he was blowing out a candle. That was his reaction as he thought about the battles at practice between the stiff Red Devils defense and Walker leading the offense.
Those practices make the games easier. Walker picks the brain of defensive players with questions, and Jefferson doesn't mind giving him answers.
The Red Devils have made some mistakes early in the season. Robinson wants the team to clean up its penalties, but all signs are pointing in the right direction on both sides of the ball.
"(The offense) gives us tough matchups," Jefferson. "We got tough receivers, and every day, Gene (Robinson) push us to be competitive. Going against them, they gon' get some days, and they know we gon' come back and get some days, too."
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This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: The secret to Germantown's gritty win over Houston? Iron sharpens iron
