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Lackluster effort results in Statesboro with a 45-14 loss to Ware
SHS football
Ware County QB Demitris Isaiah White spikes the ball after scoring a seven yard touchdown late in the third quarter as Statesboro host Ware County Friday at Womack Field. - photo by JOSH AUBREY/staff

As an All-Conference defensive back at Georgia Southern, Statesboro head coach Matt Dobson was known for his hard-hitting deliveries. After Friday’s 45-14 loss to Ware County Dobson didn’t hold back either.

“Ultimately what tonight came down to is we got out coaches,” Dobson said. “We didn’t have our kids ready to play and that’s my job as a head coach. They didn’t do anything really special over there they just ran they same plays and whipped our butts. We just have to have our guys more prepared and ready to play.”

With the exception of a lopsided win over winless Groves, Ware County had scored a total of 36 points in their other three games. They had 35 at halftime.

The Gators finished the night with 187 yards rushing and 174 yards passing while Statesboro could muster only 127 yards rushing and 90 passing with most of that coming with the second string in late in the game.

Ware County marched downfield on their opening possession with a mix of pass and run and eventually scored on a 14-yard pass from Demitris Isaiah White to Lavon Lawson for a 7-0 lead.

Statesboro caught a break late in the first on a muffed punt by the Gators which they recovered at the Ware Co. 34-yard line. Early in the second Dobson pulled some trickery as quarterback Beckham Jarrard looked to the sideline as if he were waiting on a play and the ball was snapped to D.J. Brooks who was standing right next to him. Brooks went seven yards for the score tying the game at 7-7.

From there it was all Ware County. A 50-yard bomb from White to Jalondi O’Hare gave them the ball at the seven-yard line. On the very next play Moo McKoy scored from seven yards away for a 14-7 lead. They’d add a 35-yard touchdown pass from White to O’Hare for a 21-7 lead and then a five-yard keeper for White made it 28-7.

With 10 seconds left before the half White aired another pass to O’Hare for a 47-yard score and a 35-7 halftime lead.

Ware extended their lead to 42-7 on a 55-yard touchdown run from McKoy and a 30-yard field goal from Jefferey Gonzalaz for a 45-7 lead. Statesboro added a 13-yard touchdown run from Jhaden Perkins to cap the scoring.

Statesboro falls to 3-2 while Ware County improves to 3-2. The Blue Devils now start a four-game road swing starting next Friday at Groves. Ware County takes on ARC who had a shoot-out Friday with Benedictine as the Cadets escaped with a 52-49 win.