CANEY BAY — Senior J.T. Johns’ 15-yard touchdown run with 1:34 remaining and freshman kicker Tristan Fredrickson’s PAT lifted Brantley County to a 7-6 homecoming victory here Friday over previously unbeaten Islands in the Region 3AAA opener for both schools.
Ms. Lydia Anderson was named the 2026 Brantley County High School Homecoming Queen with Mr. Hayze Evans named Homecoming King during halftime ceremonies.
“Our guys were excited about the win,” said head coach Matt Hickox. “They played hard. I feel like we got beat everywhere but on the scoreboard. Our defense really bowed its neck.
The Herons (2-2 overall, 1-0 Region), who struggled offensively during the first 41 minutes against the Islands’ (3-1, 0-1) defense, put together a game-winning 11-play, 77-yard drive consuming 5:18.
“We had a very rough go of it offensively all game long,” Hickox said of the final possession. “We had a little bit of time on the clock. We still wanted to run the football and try to move down the field and eat up as much clock as possible. We didn’t want to give them (Sharks) a chance of getting the ball back with a lot of time on the clock.”
With the possession starting at the BCHS 23, Johns (6-of-14, 24 yards, two interceptions) converted on third-and-six with a seven-yard pass to Jayden Byron (four catches, 50 yards) to keep the drive alive. The two would hook up five plays later on a fourth-and-six with a 10-yard completion to the Islands’ 39.
Johns (eight carries, 37 yards) did the rest from there. He scooted 15 yards to the Sharks’ 24, nine yards to the 15, and scored from there with 1:34 on the clock tying the score at 6-apiece. Fredrickson calmly split the uprights with ice in his veins with the game winning point.
“J.T. just kind of found a way to help us win,” said Hickox. “We executed some plays that we didn’t hit earlier in the game with passes to Jayden (Byron). Malachi (Saunder; 12 carries, 47 yards) ran very well, very strong run to get us a another first down.
“We went spread, seeing how they were defending it, and called a quarterback draw up the middle. We didn’t block it well. J.T. was hit around the eight and fought his way into the end zone with his teammates rallying to push the scrum across the goal line.”
The Herons’ last offensive series was set up by a fourth down defensive stop on fourth-and-one. Islands’ Preston Allison returned an interception 51 yards before being dragged down by a hustling, touchdown saving tackle by Parker Rentz.
Brantley County would gain possession when the Sharks came up a chain length short of converting the fourth down play.
“Our defense played absolutely amazing,” Hickox said. “That was pretty much the whole game. Then they came up with a big stop on fourth and very short.
“I can’t brag enough about the defense, how they played, how physical they were, how downhill we were. We had a bust here or there, but they executed at a very high level all night.”
After the BCHS touchdown, the Sharks needed one play to cross midfield with a 25-yard pass completion. Four consecutive incompletions followed.
“Tonight was big,” Hickox said. “We are absolutely beat to pieces. We had new players in new spots and we started some rotational guys. We just couldn’t get a lot going offensively.
“But I’m so proud. The guys just kind of rallied behind it. They made one big push at the end and just found a way for us to win.
The Sharks had led since 3:45 of the first quarter, when quarterback Mason McLaughlin (3-of-12, 63 yards, interception) dropped a 20yard scoring toss to Xavier Hughes to cap a 7-play, 56-yard, 3:37 drive. Thomas Giovannin’s extra-point try was blocked, and that single point sat on the scoreboard the rest of the evening.
BCHS travels Friday to third-ranked Appling County (4-0, 1-0), who opened region play belting Tattnall County.
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