The Bradwell Tigers, who beat Lakeside Evans 27-21 on Friday in Evans, are off to their best start since 2004 and are guaranteed a winning record for the first time since 2009, according to the Georgia High School Football Historians Association.
Kevin Harris, who surpassed the 1,000-yard mark last week, ran for 234 yards and two TDs on Friday. His first score was on a 17-yard scamper that, with Kenneth Lockhart’s extra point, gave the Tigers a brief 7-0 lead.
The Panthers answered with 21 straight points before Harris scored on a 7-yard run in the third quarter, and Lockhart’s extra point pulled BI to within seven at 21-14.
The Tigers’ defense accounted both the game-tying and game-winning touchdowns.
First, linebacker Andrew Rafferty intercepted a pass and returned it 22 yards for a touchdown. Then, defensive back Jaliel Nieves picked off a pass and ran it back 42 yards for the go-ahead touchdown later that period.
The Tigers play at Brunswick Friday in Bradwell’s Region 2-AAAAAA opener.
Panthers fall to Rebels
Liberty County fell to 2-3 with a 37-13 loss to Effingham County on Friday night at Donnel Woods Stadium in Flemington.
The Panthers trailed 17-13 at halftime, and couldn’t muster any scoring in the second half.
Kris Coleman, who ran for more than 230 yards, scored on runs of 50 and 96 yards for the Panthers, who play host to Tattnall County on Friday night.
Tide drop heartbreaker
Friday, the Long County football team dropped its fifth game of the year to New Hampstead.
The game went back and forth all night, but the Blue Tide fell to the Phoenix 49-35 in Ludowici. At the half, the visitors led 19-13 in a game that at first looked like a defensive battle.
In the second half, both teams’ offense erupted, putting up 52 points. With less than six minutes to play, overtime looked likely, but instead New Hampstead scored twice more. Long County continued to fight and drove deep inside Phoenix territory, but time expired with the Blue Tide inside the New Hampstead five yard line.
After the game, Long County head coach J.D. Pollock said that even though his players played hard, they failed to execute.
"At times our desire to make a big play is causing us not to follow through on good technique, this is hurting us and then we’re not able to do what we need to do," Pollock said.
With the loss, Long County fell to 0-5, while New Hampstead improved to 3-2. Pick up a Wednesday paper for a full story on the game, more comments from Pollock, and a preview of Long County’s first 2-AAA Region game next Friday against Appling County.