For the first time since 2007, the Long County Blue Tide football team has won the first two games of the season. On Friday, August 30, the team closed out the first month of the fresh season by welcoming in region foe Johnson and beat the Atomsmashers 42-0.
The Tide opened the game after the short kickoff bounced inside the 10 and was covered up at the 5, setting them up deep in their own territory. After picking up a first down to the 19, they faced a third and 10.
Sophomore running back Jason Familia got the call and took off for his second 80-plus yard run of the season as he went 81 yards for the score, giving the Tide an 8-0 lead 3 minutes into the game.
The Atomsmashers picked up 13 yards to their own 36 to pick up a first down before they forced a punt and the Tide took over at their own 22.
Quarterback Wyatt Huston converted a fourth down from the Tide’s 45 and kept pushing into Johnson territory. From the Atomsmasher 40, Familia got the call again and went up the middle for his second touchdown of the night as the Tide took a 16-0 lead.
The Tide surprised the Atomsmashers with an onside kick and took over at the Johnson 47. Jay’quan Johnson took the carry to the 32 as the first quarter came to a close.
From the Johnson 20, Cortney Charles got the call and he took it all the way to the endzone, spinning away from a tackle. The extra point was wide right as the Tide held a 22-0 lead with 10:24 left in the half.
The Tide forced a punt from the Johnson 8 after several penalties and a sack pushed them back deep. They eventually drove down to the Johnson 9 and faced a fourth and goal before turning it over on downs.
The next drive saw a total of seven penalties between the two teams as the time eventually ticked away as the Tide led 22-0 at the half.
On the opening kickoff of the second half, the Atomsmashers fumbled and the Tide recovered at the Johnson 25. On third down from the 13, Charles got the call again and got into the endzone as the Tide went up 30-0 with 7:30 left in the quarter.
The Tide forced another punt on the next drive and took over from the Johnson 31. On a second and long from the 30, Charles scored again, but it was called back on a block in the back.
A facemask penalty on fourth down kept the Tide’s drive going as they moved to the 10. Charles pushed his way into the endzone to put his team up 36-0.
The fourth quarter went by quickly due to the GHSA mercy rule but it included a sack by Isaiah Miller and the Tide took over at the 48. They eventually drove down to the 1-yard line before Jaeson Carryl punched it in to make the final score 42-0.
With the win, the Tide are now 2-0 for the first time since 2007 and 1-0 in region play. They will look to match their best start in team history (3-0 in 2007) when they travel to play Groves at Savannah High Stadium on Thursday, September 5.