Tiger quarterback Wilson Brown scored two offensive touchdowns and O-line/D-line veteran Ulrick John scored one for the defense as the Tigers defeated the Wayne County Yellow Jackets 21-6 in Jesup on Friday night.
Running back Sheldon Barnes and Brown led in rushing yards on the field. Both seniors pushed their squad to victory after trailing 6-0 in the first half of the game.
The Yellow Jackets were confident and composed for the first quarter with QB Parker Welch giving the ball to Lynward Jackson for most of the carries. In the second quarter, the Yellow Jackets put in QB Grayson Lambert who found wide receiver Demauro Turner and hit him in full stride for a 20-yard touchdown.
Yellow Jacket kicker Blake Penix came out to attempt the extra point, but it was blocked by a Tiger defender.
The Tigers struggled in the first half, trying to develop a running game, but the Yellow Jackets defense had double coverage on Barnes.
In the third quarter, Welch was under center again for Wayne. He stepped back for a pass but Tiger defenders David Swinford, Barnes, Tony Wright and Johnnie Turnage wrapped him up, tossing the QB to the ground. Welch sustained an injury to his ankle and was carried off the field with a splint. He was taken immediately to the hospital for X-rays.
A few plays later, the Yellow Jackets lost Jackson to an injury.
Brown and Wilson set up a drive and Brown punched into the end zone. Tiger kicker David Miller made the PAT to go up by one, 7-6.
On another offensive drive Brown carried the ball from the Tigers 30-yard line to the Yellow Jackets 3. Two plays later, he ran it in for his second touchdown of the night. Miller’s PAT was good and the Tigers led by 8.
Yellow Jacket Anthony Newkirk grabbed the kick deep in Yellow Jacket territory, but found a hole in the Tiger defense. Tigers kicker Miller stood between Newkirk and a touchdown. Miller sized up his opponent, put his shoulder pad down and made the hit. Newkirk went down and had to be helped off the field.
As the night continued, cramping hit both teams and Yellow Jacket Ty McGill was helped off after a hamstring cramp.
Tiger running back Barnes had minor cramping in his leg. As the Yellow Jackets became fatigued, the Tiger defense stepped up, sacking QB Lambert twice. In on the sacks were Darvean Herron, Delrish Moore and D’Marius Moye.
Moye also hit a Yellow Jacket player, causing him to fumble. The ball rolled into the end zone and was picked up by John for the final Tiger touchdown.
Once again, John was in for almost every snap, and Keyong Miller got his second interception of the season.
Tiger coach Jim Walsh told his players he was pleased with the win, but added they still need to improve on what he calls "the fundamentals of football."
"We didn’t play well in the first half," he said. "In the second half, we changed a little of our formation and gave Sheldon (Barnes) some creases to run."
Walsh said he still intends to keep the plays simple while he waits for his younger players to mature. He said they would take the weekend to recuperate, but the team will be back to practice Monday to prepare for their last non-region game against Houston County team at home next week.
"The best thing I can say about our first two wins," Walsh said, "is that we found ways to win the football game. Normally, when you have a young football team like we do, that is usually your Achilles heel. Instead of finding ways to win, you find ways to lose. So that’s the upside to where we are right now. Our kids are finding ways to win."