Before last week, Newton never won a state playoff game. Now, they’ve won two. The Rams scored 15 unanswered points to beat Central Gwinnett 15-14 and advance to the third round where they will hit the road to face Etowah next Friday.

Central Gwinnett got off to a fast start, going up 14-0 in the first period and holding Newton to only two first downs. The momentum reversed in the second quarter when the Rams put up nine points and held the Black Knights’ offense in check the entire period.

Romario Johnson found Deandre Huff on a 39-yard touchdown pass for Newton’s first score and the Rams had another Huff touchdown called back and ended up with a field goal to bring the game within five.

After both teams stalled in the third quarter, Johnson scored from one yard out to give Newton a 15-14 lead after the two-point conversion failed.

The teams battled back and forth for field position. Twice with less than five minutes to go, the Rams forced Central Gwinnett to go for it on fourth down and twice the Rams shut down the Black Knights’ offense. Once from a sack by Jaquan Henderson and again off of an interception by Davonta Jones.

Newton ran the ball the rest of the way, but Central Gwinnett got the ball back with a few seconds left on the clock. However, another Rams’ interception sealed the deal, as Newton fights on to play next week.