By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Laney tops SEB
Placeholder Image
   BROOKLET — The Southeast Bulloch Yellow Jackets (1-6, 0-4) gave it everything they had Friday night but fell 28-7 to the region 3-AA rival Laney Wildcats (5-2, 3-1).
    The final score didn’t tell the entire story as the Yellow Jackets stubbornly held up against the Wildcats for most of the game. Laney committed numerous costly penalties the entire night but managed to put together a few key plays to come out on top of Southeast Bulloch.
    The Yellow Jacket defense stiffened early and the Wildcats struggled to move. But it was Laney quarterback Chris Thomas that scrambled on the keeper on third and long to find daylight for a 74-yard touchdown on the first series.
    The overpowering Laney defense snuffed out the responding Yellow Jacket drive to regain possession.
    With time ticking down in the first quarter, Laney’s Thomas found sophomore James Bing for a 32-yard touchdown pass. SEB swarmed through the line on the PAT for the block to force the Wildcats to settle for the 13-0 score.
    The Yellow Jacket offense started to click early in the second quarter when an impressive drive culminated on a one-yard run from sophomore Jonathan Lanier.
    The Wildcats were stung on the following drive by a SEB fumble recovery on the Laney 46 and SEB seemed to have the momentum. But the Laney defense held strong and refused to allow SEB to move.
    The teams couldn’t find a way to score for the remainder of the first half and both teams hunkered down for what appeared to be a defensive battle. It wasn’t until late in the third quarter that Laney broke the stalemate.
    With 1:42 left in the third, Wildcat sophomore Cameron Stallings broke through for a six-yard touchdown run. The successful two-point conversion gave Laney the 21-7 lead.
    The Wildcat defense continued to frustrate the Yellow Jackets for the remainder of the game as they refused to allow a breakthrough. The SEB defense responded by returning the favor by clamping down on the speedy Laney rushing attack.
    With the Yellow Jackets shutting down the Wildcat ground game, Laney’s Thomas took to the air in the fourth quarter for a 50-yard bomb that found Stallings wide open downfield for the touchdown to make the score 28-7 after the PAT.
    SEB tried to rally but the Laney defense stood firm. The Wildcats held on for the victory by draining the remainder of the clock, taking a knee and depriving the Yellow Jackets of their first region 3-AA victory of the year.
    SEB returns to action next week when they host 3-AA Jefferson County for homecoming.
    Laney returns home to face 3-AA Westside.