The Long County Blue Tide football team looked like they were on the verge of their first win in over two years when they traveled to Pembroke Friday night. However, it was the Bryan County Redskins who used a second half spurt to move past the Tide 28-14.

The Tide and Redskins, who played in their fourteenth meeting Friday, were both winless on the year coming in the contest. Bryan County looked to get on the board first as they took the ball at their own 25.

The Blue Tide defense showed their grit as they held tough and forced a fourth down. The Skins looked to get the conversion on fourth and short, but a false start backed them and they trotted on the punt team, leading to the Tide getting the ball at their own 36.

The Tide were moving the ball down the field and eventually got into Redskin territory after some good runs from Tavon Anderson. The Tide converted a fourth and short, but they had all their momentum sucked away from them after clipping and holding penalties backed them all the way up to their own 34, leading to a punt to the Bryan County 36.

The Tide defense came up strong again after Jaylen Bryant seemed to pick up a fumble and return it 25 yards for the touchdown, which would have been the Tide’s first of the year. However, Bryant was ruled to have fumbled out the back of the endzone, which gave Bryan the ball back at their own 20.

Redskins running back Dawan Scott got his big night started as he opened up a 14 yard run to the 34. On the next play, quarterback Tyler Stewart found receiver Nick Peny on a bomb to the Long County 20. Two plays later, Scott scampered in from 20 yards out to give the Redskins a 7-0 lead.

The Tide recovered the onside kick attempt at midfield and were driving into Bryan territory as the first quarter came to a close.

Quarterback Treyon Davis faced a third and long at the 37 before he found room to run down his sideline to the 11 yard line. The Tide offense kept pushing and Davis finally found his way into the endzone from two yards out. Chris Garcia’s extra point tied the score at 7.

The Redskins took the ball at their own 25 and got their run game going again as Scott found room to run to the 39 yard line. Stewart hooked up with Peny again down to the Tide 29. A few plays later, Scott found his way into the endzone from 15 yards out to give the Redskins a 14-7 lead with 2:28 left in the first half.

The Tide looked to answer the Redskins’ touchdown quickly and answer they did. They took all of eight seconds to get back into the endzone as Anderson zipped off tackle and raced 63 yards to the endzone. Alex Cortinas Morales tied the game at 14 with the extra point.

The Long County defense had to overcome adversity near the end of the first half as they were hit with a targeting penalty and unsportsmanlike conduct call, but the Tide held strong as the score was tied at halftime.

The Tide started the second half with the ball at their own 45 and ended up facing a third and short from the Bryan 48. A false start backed them up to their own 47 before Davis saw space ahead of him and raced to the Bryan 38 for 15 yards.

The offense could not move much more as they went for it on fourth and seven from the 35 and came up just a yard short at the 29. The Tide defense came up strong again as they forced a three and out and took over possession at the Bryan 47.

The Tide looked to make a big play and finally take a lead in the game, but another holding penalty pushed them back into their own territory. The Tide punted, but a high snap gave Bryan the ball at the Long 17.

The Redskins picked up a conversion on fourth down at the 10 and eventually found their way into the endzone as Scott plunged in from a yard out for his third score of the night. The Redskins led 21-14 at the end of the third quarter, but not before the Tide moved down to the Bryan 33 after Davis found tight end Dazon Mills on a huge 27 yard pick up through the air.

The Tide drove down to the Bryan 5 and looked to tie the game once again. However, a sack back to the 15 forced a Tide field goal try. Garcia pushed the 32 yard attempt wide left and the Redskins took over at their own 20.

The Redskins seemingly put the game away as Scott broke a few tackles and raced 68 yards for the touchdown. That made the score 28-14, the eventual final.

The Tide fell to 0-3 with the loss and will look to regroup over the next few weeks. They will be off next week before returning home to host Vidalia on Friday, Sep 14.