Since Long County High School started its football program back in 2002, the team never has been able to say it had a winning record, well that can’t be said anymore.
Long County was clearly the dominate team, in Friday’s game against the Savannah Country Day Hornets, as the Blue Tide won 27-13 in the season opener.
The Hornets got the ball first, and after one first down they were forced to punt and the Tide started on their own 20-yard line. After a holding call against the offense, it was first and 20, from their own 10-yard line.
With receptions of 15-yards from Stevie Harrison, 25-yards from Donte Brown, and a 32-yard scamper by tailback Prince Moody, the Long County team drove down to the Hornet 27-yard line, but faced a fourth and three decision. Head Coach Kyle Wilson decide to go for the first down. An incomplete pass stalled the drive and Savannah Country Day took over possession.
After two plays, the Hornets faced a third and twelve, and their quarterback threw a short pass to their wideout, behind the line of scrimmage. Long defensive back, DeAndre McCall made a big stick, behind the line for a five-yard loss, and the Hornets once again had to punt, ending the first quarter tied 0-0.
The second quarter was a period where the Blue Tide made pivotal mistakes, resulting in the Savannah team putting up two touchdowns over a nine second span.
The Hornets first scored with 5:45 left in the half, off a screen pass to halfback John Moesch, when the outside DB missed picking up the back and he ran in for the 20-yard touchdown. On the ensuing kick-off, the return man for the Blue Tide fumbled the ball, and a Savannah Country Day player recovered the ball deep on the Blue Tide side of the field.
On the next play Moesch plunged through the middle, and scored his second touchdown of the night. After a missed extra point, the score was Savannah Country Day 13 and Long County 0, with 5:36 left in the first half.
On the kick return, the Blue Tide return-man ran across mid-field to the Country Day 45-yard line. After a first down, and then two plays resulting in a third and 12 call, wide-out Ricky Rivera caught a big 32-yard reception, giving Long County a first and goal opportunity on the Hornet five-yard line.
On first down tailback Prince Moody was tackled for a 10-yard loss, and then after two incomplete passes by Justin Boyd, the Tide had a fourth down situation.
From the 15-yard line, WR Paul Lewandoski ran a post to a fly route, and Boyd hit him with a picture-perfect pass, to put the Tide on the board with 2:55 left in the half. After a failed conversion attempt, the score was 13-6 Savannah Country Day; which is what the score was at the end of the first half.
As the first half began, the Blue Tide got the ball first, and on a critical third and twenty situation, from their own 32-yard line, Boyd set up for a pass, but decided to keep it and ran across midfield to the Hornet forty-eight. After a measurement by the officiating crew, it was first down, Blue Tide.
On the next series of downs, the Tide once again dug themselves into a hole facing a third and 10 situation, but Moody ran outside for a 43-yard gain, down to the Hornet five-yard line, giving the team a first and goal opportunity. Three plays later, Moody ran it in from the two, and after Danielle Bailey booted the extra point, the game was tied 13-13.
When the Blue Tide kicked off, they were given a gift, as the Savannah Country Day player bobbled the ball, and Long County recovered the ball on the 42-yard line.
After an eight-play drive, Lewandoski picked up his second touchdown of the night, when Boyd hit him streaking down the sideline. After the Bailey conversion, it was Long County 20 and Savannah Country Day 13.
The game was put out of reach, with less than a minute left in the game, when Boyd threw his third touchdown of the night to WR Stevie Harrison from the 12-yard line. With the PAT the final score was Blue Tide 27 and Hornets 13.
For the night, Boyd threw for 223 yards and three touchdowns, while Moody led all rushers with 95 yards. Lewandoski had two touchdowns, and Harrison had one score. Wide receiver Ricky Rivera didn’t score in the game, but had several key receptions, and ran a 12-yard reverse for a first down on the final scoring drive in the fourth quarter.
After the game Wilson had nothing but praise for his team as he told them, “Outstanding job, you battled for 48 minutes and you didn’t quit. I told you games were won in the off season with hard work, and it showed tonight.”
The Blue Tide now have a 1-0 record and will be at home Friday when they take on the Bryan County Redskins. The Skins lost their opener to the Richmond Hill Wildcats 3-0. Game time is 7:30 p.m. at Veterans Stadium.
Long County was clearly the dominate team, in Friday’s game against the Savannah Country Day Hornets, as the Blue Tide won 27-13 in the season opener.
The Hornets got the ball first, and after one first down they were forced to punt and the Tide started on their own 20-yard line. After a holding call against the offense, it was first and 20, from their own 10-yard line.
With receptions of 15-yards from Stevie Harrison, 25-yards from Donte Brown, and a 32-yard scamper by tailback Prince Moody, the Long County team drove down to the Hornet 27-yard line, but faced a fourth and three decision. Head Coach Kyle Wilson decide to go for the first down. An incomplete pass stalled the drive and Savannah Country Day took over possession.
After two plays, the Hornets faced a third and twelve, and their quarterback threw a short pass to their wideout, behind the line of scrimmage. Long defensive back, DeAndre McCall made a big stick, behind the line for a five-yard loss, and the Hornets once again had to punt, ending the first quarter tied 0-0.
The second quarter was a period where the Blue Tide made pivotal mistakes, resulting in the Savannah team putting up two touchdowns over a nine second span.
The Hornets first scored with 5:45 left in the half, off a screen pass to halfback John Moesch, when the outside DB missed picking up the back and he ran in for the 20-yard touchdown. On the ensuing kick-off, the return man for the Blue Tide fumbled the ball, and a Savannah Country Day player recovered the ball deep on the Blue Tide side of the field.
On the next play Moesch plunged through the middle, and scored his second touchdown of the night. After a missed extra point, the score was Savannah Country Day 13 and Long County 0, with 5:36 left in the first half.
On the kick return, the Blue Tide return-man ran across mid-field to the Country Day 45-yard line. After a first down, and then two plays resulting in a third and 12 call, wide-out Ricky Rivera caught a big 32-yard reception, giving Long County a first and goal opportunity on the Hornet five-yard line.
On first down tailback Prince Moody was tackled for a 10-yard loss, and then after two incomplete passes by Justin Boyd, the Tide had a fourth down situation.
From the 15-yard line, WR Paul Lewandoski ran a post to a fly route, and Boyd hit him with a picture-perfect pass, to put the Tide on the board with 2:55 left in the half. After a failed conversion attempt, the score was 13-6 Savannah Country Day; which is what the score was at the end of the first half.
As the first half began, the Blue Tide got the ball first, and on a critical third and twenty situation, from their own 32-yard line, Boyd set up for a pass, but decided to keep it and ran across midfield to the Hornet forty-eight. After a measurement by the officiating crew, it was first down, Blue Tide.
On the next series of downs, the Tide once again dug themselves into a hole facing a third and 10 situation, but Moody ran outside for a 43-yard gain, down to the Hornet five-yard line, giving the team a first and goal opportunity. Three plays later, Moody ran it in from the two, and after Danielle Bailey booted the extra point, the game was tied 13-13.
When the Blue Tide kicked off, they were given a gift, as the Savannah Country Day player bobbled the ball, and Long County recovered the ball on the 42-yard line.
After an eight-play drive, Lewandoski picked up his second touchdown of the night, when Boyd hit him streaking down the sideline. After the Bailey conversion, it was Long County 20 and Savannah Country Day 13.
The game was put out of reach, with less than a minute left in the game, when Boyd threw his third touchdown of the night to WR Stevie Harrison from the 12-yard line. With the PAT the final score was Blue Tide 27 and Hornets 13.
For the night, Boyd threw for 223 yards and three touchdowns, while Moody led all rushers with 95 yards. Lewandoski had two touchdowns, and Harrison had one score. Wide receiver Ricky Rivera didn’t score in the game, but had several key receptions, and ran a 12-yard reverse for a first down on the final scoring drive in the fourth quarter.
After the game Wilson had nothing but praise for his team as he told them, “Outstanding job, you battled for 48 minutes and you didn’t quit. I told you games were won in the off season with hard work, and it showed tonight.”
The Blue Tide now have a 1-0 record and will be at home Friday when they take on the Bryan County Redskins. The Skins lost their opener to the Richmond Hill Wildcats 3-0. Game time is 7:30 p.m. at Veterans Stadium.