Westminster rids 'bad taste' with season opening win over Lovett

The Westminster Wildcats football team has had to wait nearly eight months to finally get some revenge over a long time rival and no better way to do so by opening up their season with a convincing win over the Lovett Lions, who eliminated the Wildcats from the Georgia High School Association state championship tournament last season. On Friday night, the two teams met up for the first time since that November night, kicking off their 2023 campaigns, and the Lions came out appearing to keep their momentum over the Wildcats as they would score on a Kalil Townes rushing touchdown on the game’s opening possession.

As the Lions added a two point conversion, Westminster quickly found themselves trailing 8-0, but would answer with an opening drive of their own that would result in a Fain Barton rushing touchdown and with the extra point, the Wildcats would trail 8-7. However, the deficit which Westminster faced would not last long as their defense would come up with a turnover on Lovett’s ensuing possession and the Wildcats’ offense would capitalize as Wade Penn would rush for another Westminster touchdown and they would take a 14-8 lead. A lead they would not relinquish as they would go on to score 41 unanswered points, including two rushing scores by Jake Persons and a rush touchdown by Michael Buhay, and lead 41-8 by the end of the third quarter.

Following the win, Westminster head coach, Gerry Romberg said that the feeling the Wildcats had following their loss to Lovett last season in the playoffs left a “bad taste” in their mouths that this past week, “the guys were just so locked in because it’s such a rivalry and both teams play so hard,” Romberg said, praising Lovett head coach, Muschamp for being a “great” coach. And while the Lions struck first and quick on Friday, Romberg said his players knew the sense of urgency to respond. “They had us on our heels and it was really, really important for us to come right back down the field and score,” Romberg said, adding that they had been focused on being able to run the ball well against the Lions, “and we did that,”.

Now with the Lions behind them, the Wildcats will look to take down another “Battle for Buckhead” rival when they take on Pace Academy next week.