HAZLEHURST — Jeff Davis scored three touchdowns covering 20-plus yards and added a 52-yard field goal and the 10th-ranked Yellow Jackets blanked visiting Brantley County 31-0 in the Region 1-A opener for both schools.
Unbeaten Jeff Davis (4-0 overall, 1-0 region) scored points on five of its nine possessions getting touchdown runs of 42, 67 and 20 from three different players and Fabian Valdelamar’s 52-yard field goal as the first half horn sounded.
Brantley County (0-5, 0-1) crossed midfield on four of its eight possessions with its deepest penetration to the Yellow Jackets’ 25 on its last possession of the opening half.
“I was pleased with the effort and physicality our defense played with,” said BCHS head coach David Shores. “We held them (Yellow Jackets) to 14 point in first half, and with help from the officials, they kicked a 52-yeard field goal as the half expired. Jeff Davis is a very good football team, especially on the defensive side of the ball. They (Yellow Jackets) got after our offensive guys all night.
“We added some wrinkles on offense last week, but we just didn’t execute to the level we needed to. Hopefully, with another week of practice, our execution will improve.”
Both defensive units tried to set the tone for the night with each forcing a three-and-out on the opening series of the night.
A Jeff Davis interception of a Kaden Hendrix (3-of-15, 29 yards) pass on Brantley County’s second offensive series set the home team up at the Herons’ 47.
Following a five-yard penalty against Brantley County, the Yellow Jackets scored when Ian Griffin (three carries, 57 yards) gathered in an option around right end and scooted 42 yards for the initial touchdown. Valdelamar tacked on the PAT for a 7-0 lead.
After BCHS went three-and-out on its third drive, a 44-yard punt by Mason Kicklighter pinned Jeff Davis at its own 15.
The Yellow Jackets needed just four plays to cover the distance when fullback Kobe Hill turned a dive play into a 63yard gallop for a 14-0 lead after the Valdelamar PAT late in the opening period.
Starting at its own nine after a 38-yard punt by Kicklighter, Jeff Davis put together an 11-play drive consisting of nine runs to move the ball to the Herons’ 26 before stalling. Valdelamar’s 43-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right leaving the score a two-touchdown margin.
BCHS followed with its first drive of the night getting 25 yards on a Hendrix completion to Malachi Saunders. Kicklighter bulled his way for 13 yards spotting the ball at the Yellow Jackets’35.
Following a loss of three yards on a fumble, Hendrix connected with Haden Kicklighter for 11 yards on a crossing pattern setting fourth-and-one from the Jeff Davis 27.
Daesean Hutcherson (three carries, 25 yards) picked up the first down with a two-yard gain at the Yellow Jackets’ 25. BCHS would get no closer turning the ball over on downs.
Jeff Davis pushed the ball downfield with consecutive gains of six, 20 and seven to reach the Herons’ 35 setting up the last play of the half, a 52yard field goal by Valdelamar. The ball doinked forward off the cross bar as the horn sounded upping the lead to 17-0.
The Yellow Jackets extended the lead to 24-0 scoring on its second possession of the third quarter. Jeff Davis moved 80 yards in nine plays gaining all but eight yards on the ground. Quarterback Mark Durden called his own number scoring from a yard out with Valdelamar tacking on the PAT.
Jeff Davis turned a fourth down stop into points with a 52-yard drive in six plays early in the final period.
A defensive penalty against the Herons on a fourth-and-one at its own 43 kept the Jeff Davis possession alive. Three plays later, Durden scrambled left and went untouched on the 20-yard run for the final touchdown of the night with Valdelamar splitting the uprights.
