Earlier in the week, Bulloch Academy head football coach Terence Hennessy had said that Windsor Academy was a good football team.

Friday night, the Gators proved that they were a better team.

“We were firing on all cylinders in the first half,” Hennessy said after his Gators cruised to a 43-7 win. “I was real happy with the offensive line. They opened up some good holes and blocked really well.”

Bulloch (2-0) scored on five of six possessions in the first half. Windsor’s highly-touted defensive line got pushed around by senior center Braxton Brinson and company.

Senior tailback Tyler Budgett rushed for 94 yards on seven carries and one score while junior fullback Tyce Lovett had 58 yards on seven totes and a score. Senior quarterback Lanier Olliff rushed for two touchdowns and connected with senior Hunter Perry for a textbook TD. 

The Gators scored on their first play from scrimmage.

Olliff tossed an option pitch to Budgett on the left wing. The senior scooted around the end, cut back in the middle and outraced the Knight secondary to the goal line for an 89-yard touchdown dash at the 9:29 mark. Olliff found Billy Tillman in the end zone for the two-point conversion.

“What can you say when you score on the first play of the game,” said Hennessy.

Bulloch poured it on, scoring 28 more points in the opening half for a 36-0 halftime lead.

Olliff scored on runs of 15 and one yard while Budgett added a two-yard blast. Lovett broke a 38-yard scamper and Olliff threw a perfect crossing route to Perry for a 75-yard score. 

The BA defense, which buckled early in the quarter but stood its ground in the shadow of its own goalpost, harassed and pounded Windsor quarterback Jonathon Osborn all game long.

“Defensively, there were some really big hits,” said Hennessy. “Tyce (at linebacker) and Hunter (at defensive end) were very physical and set the tone for our aggressive play.  There was one time when their quarterback (Osborn) got hit and I didn’t think he was going to get back up.”

Osborn had just 35 yards rushing and was 7-of-22 passing with two interceptions.

Bulloch second score came on the heels of a misplayed punt attempt, giving the Gators the ball at the Windsor 35. Six plays later, Olliff made the correct read on the option and scampered 15 yards to the end zone.

“Lanier did a real good job running the offense.”

On Windsor’s next possession, Perry, Lovett and sophomore linebacker Brandon Merrill punished the Knights and forced them deep in to their own territory. A short punt put the BA offense in motion at the WA 38.

On the next play, Lovett broke through the middle, spun to his left, made two defenders miss and rambled 38 yards for a 22-0 lead with 1:15 left in the quarter.

Merrill recovered a fumble on the next Windsor possession to set up another short drive. Five plays later, Budgett bulled in from two yards out early in the second quarter. After Brian Marsh drilled the PAT, Bulloch held a commanding 29-0 advantage.

Windsor botched another punt attempt on its next possession and put BA in business at the 17.Three plays later, Olliff dove in for the score and a 36-0 lead.

Hennessy substituted freely after that and the Knight offense was able to gain ground but not penetrate the goal line.

Bulloch put the icing on the cake midway through the third when Olliff found a streaking Perry over the middle for a beautiful 75-yard play and a 43-0 lead.

The fourth was played with a running clock. Windsor was able to avoid the goose egg when Osborn hit Marquise Jackson for a 35-yard touchdown