The Tigers scored their first touchdown 15 seconds after taking the field Friday night, setting the tone of the game against Benedictine, which Bradwell won 38-0 at Olvey Field.
D’Marius Moye jumped in front of the Cadets’ pass in the opening drive of the visiting team’s first offensive series, snatching the pigskin and scoring the touchdown. Tiger kicker David Miller handled the extra point and the Tigers’ senior night was off to a good start.
On the ensuing kick, the Cadets’ return man appeared ready to break free but Tiger defender Greg Howard tossed the runner out and the BC squad started at its own 25-yard line.
The Tigers drew two offside calls, but the home team buckled down and held the Cadets on a fourth down attempt.
The Tigers rotated players at the quarterback position, but Marsalis Jackson was first to take snaps. Using his front line, Jackson ran for three first downs as the Hinesville boys pushed forward, setting up a touchdown run by Leonard Felton. However, the Tigers were called for a low block, which set up a 25-yard field goal by Miller to give the Tigers a 10-0 lead.
The Cadets fumbled the ball on a drive. The Tigers were sure they had the recovery, but the Cadets took it and earned a new set of downs. The Tiger defense held the Cadets to close the quarter.
In the second quarter Jackson pitched the ball to Felton who ran for a 51-yard touchdown, giving the Hinesville boys a 17-0 lead.
On the Cadets’ next offensive drive, a high snap floated the ball over the quarterback’s head and the home team recovered it on the 5-yard line. Kelton Jacobs carried the ball into the end zone and the Tigers went up 24-0.
BC had another chance to drive the ball downfield, but the Tiger defense once again forced a punt. The punter hit the edge of the ball, forcing it out of bounds and giving the Tigers a short field to work with. Felton took a handoff and moved down field but got hit and coughed up the football. Offensive lineman Chester Brown swooped down, grabbed the ball and brought it inside the 15-yard line before going down.D’Marius Moye took a few snaps, but a series of flags moved the Tigers in the wrong direction. Facing a third and 26, Felton took the handoff and broke away from three defenders for another touchdown run.
The home team was up 31-0 at the half.
The Tigers received the kickoff to start the third quarter and quickly drove the ball down field. Tiger Tony Britton ran the ball, giving the Tigers a first and goal inside the red zone. On the next play, Britton ran it in from the 8 for the Tigers’ final score and a 38-0 victory.
Tigers Jahlil Whitt, Greg Howard and John Somerville pressured the Cadet quarterback all evening, and the rest of the defense did its job in shutting down the runs and keeping the BC team out of the Tigers’ end zone.
After the game, Tiger coach Jim Walsh met with his players and congratulated them on the win.
"But understand this," he said, "we can enjoy this for a day or two and then we have to get back to work. Here is one more piece of good news: You win next Friday, we make the playoffs."
The Tigers travel to Groves next week for the final game of the regular season.
According to ga.prepcountry.com, Beach High and Groves are tied for fourth in Region 3-AAAAA, both holding 3-3 region records. The Tigers’ win gives them a 3-4 mark in the region.