Bradwell Institute will host South Effingham on Thursday in a Region 3-AAAAA contest being televised live on WSAV’s Thursday Night Blitz.
Bradwell is coming off a heartbreaking 13-10 overtime loss last Friday at Statesboro.
The Tigers trailed 7-2 at the halftime, but Luther Echols scored a touchdown to give Bradwell a 10-7 advantage that it held well into the fourth quarter.
The Blue Devils kicked a 49-yard field goal to tie the game, but missed a potential game-winning field goal in the final seconds of the fourth quarter. In overtime, Statesboro nailed a field goal for the win.
Echols had 135 rushing yards, while freshman Kevin Harris led the Tigers with 138 rushing yards and continues to show head coach Greg Hill the Bradwell team’s future is bright indeed.
“We only have three senior starting on each side of the ball,” he said. “We are fairly young, and those young kids are getting a lot of experience right now.”
Echols also had two receptions for 12 yards from quarterback Quinn McMassey, another freshman earning plenty of game experience.
The defense was led by sophomores Alvin Roberts and Curvontae Bryant, who had 11 and seven total tackles, respectively.
The Mustangs (6-1 overall, 4-1 in region) are headed up on offense by quarterback Tyler Pullum, who is 69-of-107 passing for 913 yards and seven touchdowns. The Mustangs’ offense has amassed 1,355 rushing yards with 14 touchdowns, led by Patrick Brown’s 852 yards on 127 carries.
Hill said the Mustangs run a lot of different formations out of the gun offense.
“And they have some good players,” he added. “The quarterback is a good player; they have good running backs. No. 9 (Brown) is a tough runner with good speed, and their receivers make plays for them.”
The Tigers (0-7, 0-5) are looking to break a 17-game losing streak. The last game the Tigers won was against Groves on Nov. 8, 2013.
“I continue to tell them let’s push to get better, and these kids are still in good spirits,” Hill said. “They see the mistakes we’ve made, but we are still progressing and that is the positive side of it. Our kids continue to believe; they have not shut down.”
There will be a special ceremony before the game, as members of the Class of 1965 state-championship football team will come together for the renaming of Olvey Field to Hokey Jackson Stadium.
Jackson was the head football coach from 1957-69. In 1965, he led the team to a 14-0 season and the Georgia High School Association Class 2-East-B Championship title, according to the Georgia High School Football Historians Association.
“I think it is great ... that is big, and it is an honor that is definitely deserved,” Hill said. “Hopefully, we can steal a game from somebody this week and make it that much more special.”
Because of the festivities, fans are asked to arrive early. The renaming ceremony will begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.