The Long County High School football team lost its first game of the season Friday to Johnson High School, 39-14.
On each team’s first possessions, their offenses sputtered going four and out.
On the Tide’s second possession, quarterback Jake Durham tried to pass, but found Johnson defensive back Ricardo Jivens. He took the ball at midfield and raced 50 yards for a touchdown, giving the Atomsmashers an early lead. The extra point attempt was no good, so the Savannah team led 6-0.
After a penalty against Johnson on the kickoff, the Blue Tide
began its drive at the Atomsmashers’ 34-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, wide receiver Justin Boyd went down the right sideline and Durham hit him with an over-the-shoulder pass. Boyd ran into the end zone untouched, tying the game. After a Miguel Hernandez conversion, the Blue Tide went up 7-6 with 8:44 left in the first quarter.
On Johnson’s next possession, Blue Tide defensive back Brandon Hope picked off a pass thrown by Johnson quarterback Christian Cooper, and the Long County team seemed to have things under control.
However, on the ensuing offensive possession, Hope, who also lines up at tailback, fumbled the pigskin and the Atomsmashers got the ball back.
As the two teams entered the second quarter, Johnson drove down the field and had a first and goal at the Long five-yard line. The Tide defense held its opposition to two yards on Johnson’s two attempts to score, and had a third and goal at the three-yard line. On the Smashers’ third try, Jaborie Hill took the handoff and dove across the goal line for a score. The PAT once again failed, and the Savannah team was back on top, 12-7.
On the Tide’s fifth possession of the half, they were unable to score and Johnson got the ball again at the Long 45-yard line, driving the ball to pay dirt again. This time, the Savannah team went for two on the conversion with Cooper hitting Tory Wilds for the PAT, making the score 20-7 in Johnson’s favor.
Long County got the ball back just before half time and moved it down to the Johnson five-yard line for a first and goal. Boyd, who was in quarterback position, rolled out and hit Glenntis Watkins for the three-yard score. Hernandez’s PAT was good and the Tide narrowed the gap to 20-14 at the half.
In the second half, the Tide was unable to do much on offense or defense.
However, on the other side of the field, Cooper threw for two more scores and Angelo Davis found the end zone rushing, making the final score 39-14 for the Atomsmashers.
After the game, Long County head coach Kyle Wilson said he thought turnovers made a big difference between the first and second halves. "Turnovers, too many mistakes made," he said.
Wilson added, "We didn’t know a lot about the team and with us not having a real scrimmage it hurt us. We just have to work and fix these mistakes."
The Blue Tide (0-1) doesn’t play again until Sept. 11 when they take on Appling County High School. The Pirates defeated the Wayne County Yellow Jackets on Friday in a 20-0 shutout and are 1-0.