CANEY BAY — Omari Wilson piled up 215 yards and two touchdowns to lead Charlton County to a 32-12 victory here Friday night over Brantley County in the season opener for both teams.
Wilson scored on runs of 69 yards and two yards, both in the second half, as the Indians posted a fourth consecutive win in the 48th meeting between the neighboring schools.
Brantley County was unable to capitalize on good field position with an average start (11 possessions) at midfield. Five times the Herons started inside Charlton County territory scoring just once.
Three possessions, one beginning at th Indians’ nine, ended with an interception and the fifth was a three-and-out. The two teams combined for six turnovers and 16 penalties.
Charlton County’s first play of the season, a 23yard pass completion, was stripped and recovered by the Herons’ Tallan Collins at the BCHS 43.
The Indians were able to force a punt after Brantley County reached the CCHS 40. Pinned at its 15, Charlton County put together a 12-play, 85-yard scoring drive eating up 4:18 off the first quarter clock to grab a 6-0 lead.
The Indians showed balance in the attack with seven running plays and five passes piling up five first downs. Brandon Woolard (eight carries, 30 yards) did the honors scoring on a 12-yard run off left tackle with 4:07 left in the opening stanza. The Herons were able to stuff the two-point conversion. The next four possessions (two for each team) ended in punt formation. Brantley County’s opening second quarter possession began at the Indians’ 38.
Charlton County followed with a fumbled snap in punt formation setting up BCHS at the Indians’ nine. Facing third-andgoal, quarterback Kaden Hendrix (5-of-23, 66 yards, three interceptions) suffered his first interception of the season when Trayvon Jones picked off the first of his two thefts of the night at the Charlton County two with 4:43 left in the first half.
The Indians put together a nine-play (all rushing), 95-yard drive scoring just 47.4 seconds before intermission. Wilson broke off runs of 11, 28 and 23 as Charlton County moved the ball to the Herons’ 26.
Three plays later facing fourth-and-11, Woolard got behind a BCHS defender running a seam route for a 27-yard reception upping the margin to 12-0. Austin Paulk’s PAT gave the visitors a 13-0 halftime lead.
Charlton County cashed in a second turnover in the third quarter after the Herons turned the ball over on their opening drive.
The Indians, facing second- and-31 after consecutive 10-yard infractions, scored on a 65-yard dash by Wilson off right tackle and down the sideline in front of the Brantley County bench. Paulk’s PAT with 6:34 showing on the third quarter clock extended the margin to 200.
Dayton Byrd returned the Indians’ ensuing kick 40 yards setting up Brantley County at the Indians’ 45. Malachi Saunders (11 carries, 53 yards) followed a two-yard loss on first down with a 47yard sprint up the gut of the Charlton County defense for a touchdown. Adrian Kraetzer’s PAT was pulled left of the upright leaving the score at 20-6 with 5:14 left in the period.
The Indians responded with an 11-play, 65-yard scoring drive that spilled over into the final stanza. The big play was a 31-yard pass completion - the only pass attempted - three plays in.
Wilson carried on eight of the 11 snaps capping the drive with a two-yard run with 10:19 remaining in the game. Peyton Perez blocked Paulk’s PAT leaving the score at 26-6.
BCHS, after turning the ball over on downs at the Indians’ 35 on the ensuing possession, put together a nine-play, 63-yard scoring march aided by the legs of Hendrix (six carries, 76 yards) closing the deficit to 26-12 with 3:40 to play.
Hendrix scrambled for gains of 26 yards on thirdand- 20, 15 on a fourthand- one, and the final 23 yards on a second down snap. Charlton County blocked the PAT.
Brantley County recovered the onsides kick at the Indians’ 35, but turned the ball over on a fourth down interception by Jones at the Charlton County 20.
The Herons’ final snap of the night resulted in a 77-yard interception return as the horn sounded.
Brantley County heads to Savannah to face Windsor Forest in the Knights’ season opener Friday.
