SPARTA — Bulloch Academy scored on its first two possessions and stood firm on defense as the Gators beat Piedmont Academy 16-8 in the annual John Hancock Kickoff Classic Thursday.
“It was our first time this season under real game conditions,” said BA head football coach Clint Morgan. “Seeing the black and white stripes of the officials gave everybody the sense that football’s finally here.”
Sophomore quarterback Brandon Walker scored on Bulloch’s first possession, racing 30 yards to paydirt on an option keeper. On the next series, senior fullback David Poole plunged into the end zone from three yards out. Walker connected with junior receiver Taylor Burke for both two-point conversions.
“We showed tremendous improvement from last week’s scrimmage with St. Andrews,” said Morgan, whose second squad played the entire third quarter and a portion of the fourth. “I am very, very, very pleased with our defense right now. We really executed well offensively. Our linemen really did a good job of taking what the defense gave them. I thought our perimeter guys did a great job of blocking.”
The contest was divided into four 10-minute quarters with a running clock. The John Hancock Kickoff Classic, sponsored by John Hancock Academy and its Boosters Club, is a four-day GISA (Georgia Independent School Association) football extravaganza with two games a day and three on Friday.
Matt Simons, Zach Lane, Clayton Rogers and Jonathan Lumpkin all recovered fumbles on defense. Nathan Brown and Matthew Sapp had bone-crunching hits to cause two of the four.
“Our linebackers (Sapp and Michael Deloach) are doing a great job,” said Morgan. “They are making their reads. Our front five (Simons, Lane, Brown, Lumpkin and Eli Strickland) are definitely winning the battle in the trenches.”
Bulloch Academy continues its tradition of playing the first high-school football game in Bulloch County when the Gators open their season next Thursday night, hosting David Emanuel Academy at 7:30 p.m.
“It was our first time this season under real game conditions,” said BA head football coach Clint Morgan. “Seeing the black and white stripes of the officials gave everybody the sense that football’s finally here.”
Sophomore quarterback Brandon Walker scored on Bulloch’s first possession, racing 30 yards to paydirt on an option keeper. On the next series, senior fullback David Poole plunged into the end zone from three yards out. Walker connected with junior receiver Taylor Burke for both two-point conversions.
“We showed tremendous improvement from last week’s scrimmage with St. Andrews,” said Morgan, whose second squad played the entire third quarter and a portion of the fourth. “I am very, very, very pleased with our defense right now. We really executed well offensively. Our linemen really did a good job of taking what the defense gave them. I thought our perimeter guys did a great job of blocking.”
The contest was divided into four 10-minute quarters with a running clock. The John Hancock Kickoff Classic, sponsored by John Hancock Academy and its Boosters Club, is a four-day GISA (Georgia Independent School Association) football extravaganza with two games a day and three on Friday.
Matt Simons, Zach Lane, Clayton Rogers and Jonathan Lumpkin all recovered fumbles on defense. Nathan Brown and Matthew Sapp had bone-crunching hits to cause two of the four.
“Our linebackers (Sapp and Michael Deloach) are doing a great job,” said Morgan. “They are making their reads. Our front five (Simons, Lane, Brown, Lumpkin and Eli Strickland) are definitely winning the battle in the trenches.”
Bulloch Academy continues its tradition of playing the first high-school football game in Bulloch County when the Gators open their season next Thursday night, hosting David Emanuel Academy at 7:30 p.m.
