CLAXTON – Brantley County’s bid for a second straight win came up eight yards short when a fourthand- goal pass was batted away by a Claxton defender in the end zone here Friday night protecting the unbeaten Tigers’ 16-13 nonregion victory.
Trailing by three points, the Herons (1-2) moved the ball from their own 43 down to the Claxton (3-0) four inside the final minute of the game.
Facing third-and-goal after a 14-yard completion from quarterback J.T. Johns (9-of-15, 89 yards) to Jayden Byron (four catches, 49 yards) down to the Tigers’ four, BCHS fumbled (six total, lost one) the ensuing snap losing four yards. Johns’ fourth down pass into the end zone was batted away by defensive back Javion Harper.
“We were extremely disappointed,” said head coach Matt Hickox. “We (coaches) went into the game with a good game plan. Offensively, we just couldn’t get out of our own way and had some unfortunate breaks go against us. Defensively, Claxton exploited some of our weaknesses.
“We were concerned about their speed at quarterback and running back and their speed reared its head.
'We didn’t play up to our standard on either side of the ball. We’ll (coaches) go back and look at the film so we can see where we need to clean up. We could never get any momentum going.” Brantley County dominated the game statistically. The Herons held advantages in rushing yards (218-164), passing yards (89-30), total yards (307-194), total plays (5437), passes (9-of-15 to 1-of-3) and first downs (15-9). BCHS punted just once (four for Claxton), had fewer penalties and yards (8-79 to 15-107), converted 4-of-10 (CHS 3-of-9) on third down. The Herons, though, converted just 1of-5 on fourth down while Claxton did not attempt a fourth down conversion.
“We’ve (coaches) got to do some evaluating with what we’re doing,” said Hickox. “It may be where we need to take some plays out. We’ve got to put ourselves in better situations to be able to convert to keep drives alive.'
BCHS’s Malachi Saunders produced his second straight 100-yard game finishing with a game-high 133 on 13 attempts. The Tigers’ Keri Michelson netted 122 yards on a game-high 17 carries. He scored on runs of 18 and 25 yards and added a twopoint conversion.
Each took turns on its opening possessions scoring touchdowns. Claxton only needed to cover 45 yards the first time it touched the ball aided by a 15-yard penalty by the Herons on the kickoff. BCHS was also flagged for pass interference on a third-and10 to keep the drive alive.
Murcherson would do the honors on the seventh play scooting 18 yards through a gapping hole at right tackle. Claxton ran the same play with the same result on the two-point conversion run by Murcherson for an 8-0 lead.
Brantley County responded with a five-play, 65-yard drive. Saunders ripped off a 44-yard gain bouncing around left end and tight-roping down the Herons’ sideline before being corralled at the Claxton seven. Following a penalty moving the ball to the Tigers’ three, Dennis Raulerson (eight carries, 34 yards) plowed in from there running over a Claxton defensive back at the goal line. Aiden Kratzer kicked the PAT through the uprights cutting the deficit to 8-7 near the three-minute mark.
The two teams played between the 20s over the next eight total possessions. Claxton crossed midfield once reaching the BCHS 45 while the Herons fumbled once after reaching the midfield stripe and turned the ball over on downs at the Tigers’ 29 after recovering a fumble.
BCHS dominated the time of possession in the second half controlling the game during its four possessions. The Herons snapped the ball 35 times while limiting Claxton to just 15 snaps.
Brantley County’s opening eight-play possession ended at the Tigers’ 48 with a fourth-down incompletion. Claxton quickly moved 52 yards in the other direction with Murcherson capping the four-play drive with a 25yard run off left tackle for a 14-7 lead. He had a 24yard run on the second snap.
The two-point conversion, however, was anything but a beauty. The snap from center on the two-point conversion attempt sailed over Harper’s head. He fielded the ball around the 18 and continued his backward path out to the 28. He stopped and threw the ball back towards the end zone into the arms of Jaylen Middleton upping the margin to 16-7.
BCHS put together a nine-play, 61-yard drive stalling at the Claxton nine. A 24-yard run by Saunders kick started the possession and moved the ball to the Tigers’ 46. Johns (six carries, 35 yards) had his ensuing 46yard scamper on the option keep wiped out by a holding penalty at the Claxton 24.
Following the mark off, the Herons lost five on the first-and-three play. After a six-yard run by Raulerson, Saunders ripped the third 20-yard run in the possession on third-andtwo to spot the ball at the Tigers’ 18. Two running plays netted nine yards to the Claxton nine. An incomplete pass on third down was followed by a run stuffed for no gain to end the drive.
After a defensive stop with a turnover, BCHS took possession at the Tigers’ 34. Brantley County needed seven plays scoring on a 14-yard pass on a corner route from Johns to Tallan Collins on third-and-goal closing the deficit to 16-13. The PAT was no good.
Again, the Herons’ defense rose to the occasion forcing Claxton into a three-and-out. From its own 43, BCHS used up 11 plays before stalling in the waning seconds.
“We are so close, yet still so far away by getting in our own way,” said Hickox.
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