The Long County Blue Tide had not tasted defeat since November 10, 2023, so losing by a point on a last second stop at the goal line is a tough way to drop your first game. That is what happened as the Tide hosted the Jenkins Warriors on Friday, October 18.

The Warriors held on for an 18-17 after holding the Tide at the Jenkins goal line on the game’s final play.

Domonique Johnson scored from 6 yards out to put the Warriors in front 7-0 with 8:40 left in the first quarter. A 15-yard completion, and a personal foul on the Tide, on a third-and-long from the Long County 30 kept the drive alive.

The Tide forced a turnover on downs at midfield and the offense took over from their own 47. Jehmiel Pettis finished off the drive as the Tide made the score 7-6 early in the second quarter after the missed two point conversion.

Demetrius Holloway found a wide open Johnson for 61 yards down to the Tide 3, but a Dylan Tyler sack on third down forced a field goal try. Joshua Woodley’s 27-yard field goal made it 10-6 with 8:48 left in the first half.

Behind Jay’Quan Johnson, Jason Familia and Cortney Charles, the Tide from their own 20 to the Warriors 9-yard line. On fourth and goal, however, Tyler and Familia could not connect on a short pass.

Charles’ 42-yard return of the second-half kickoff put the Tide at their own 43, and on the first play from scrimmage, he charged to the Warriors 22. On fourth and 7, Tyler found Chris Hatfield for 10 yards, and Tyler finished the drive with a run from 2 yards out to make the score 14-10 with 7:25 left in the third.

Jenkins threatened on its next possession, driving to the Tide 22, before Hatfield’s interception in the end zone kept the score at 14-10.

Nick Contreras’ 24-yard field goal capped a 78-yard scoring drive for the Tide and put them ahead 17-10 with 5:26 left in the game. He was hit on the kick and was slow to get up.

Jenkins answered on Ryan Scott’s 3-yard run, and Holloway’s two-point conversion run put them ahead 18-17 with 2:23 to go in the game.

The Tide started their final drive from their own 12, and their situation grew worse after a sack put them at fourth-and-9 at their own 13. Tyler rolled out and found Charles down the sideline for a 25-yard gain, and a Jenkins penalty pushed the play to the Warriors 47.

Charles picked up another 20 yards to the Warrior 23 and the Tide eventually reached the Warriors 2, taking a timeout with 16 seconds left on the clock.

With Contreras apparently injured, the Tide offense stayed on the field.

Tyler’s run to the right was just short of the goal line. The Tide could not get lined up in time as time expired.

With the loss, the Tide fall to 6-1 and 5-1 in region play. They will now look to another big opponent in Southeast Bulloch next week.

They will host the Yellow Jackets, winners 28-19 last Tuesday night over Liberty County, on October 25 in another big game that could go a long way in determining if the Tide will host a playoff game in the first round of the state playoffs.