It was a bittersweet taste left in the mouths of senior Statesboro High School football players Friday night in a sub-region game against Glynn Academy at Womack Field.
In a pregame ceremony, the Blue Devils' seniors were recognized on senior night for their efforts throughout the season and their football career. However, the good times were short lived for Statesboro as Glynn Academy rolled to a 49-3 victory.
Out of contention for the playoffs, the Blue Devils still had a matter of pride at stake against Glynn Academy but the Red Terrors (7-2, 6-1 Region 3-AAAAA) proved to be too much for Statesboro (2-7, 2-5) to handle.
"It looks bad (losing) 49-3, and it is bad, but at the same time we were just not a match for them in any form of fashion," said Statesboro High School head coach Steve Pennington. "We cut our own throat and we made mistakes."
Four-star recruit Dee Jay Dallas and senior running back Garrison Hurd powered the Red Terrors' offense early. Hurd, who finished with 62 yards on the ground, scored the first two touchdowns of the game on a five and 16 yard run in the first quarter.
Dallas, who moved to the starting quarterback position midway through the season, put on a football clinic against Statesboro. He passed for 132 yards with three touchdowns through the air and also ran for 102 yards and one rushing touchdown.
"They are a good football team. Right now, they are superior compared to what we're doing," Pennington said. "The one good thing we've done is be resilient. We've got one more opportunity to prove ourselves."
The Blue Devils inability to establish the running game against Glynn Academy was the beginning of the end. Statesboro worked on a new wildcat formation all week, and at times it worked, but SHS had just 89 total rushing yards to show for it.
Tupac Lanier led all SHS rushers with 64 yards on the ground.
The Blue Devils were close to getting shutout for the first time all season. Down 42-0, a 36-yard pass from Davis Wiggins to his favorite target Reginald Hunter set up a Ryan Miller 24-yard field goal with 10:34 left to play in the fourth quarter.
Statesboro has just one test left in the 2015 campaign. The Blue Devils will travel on the road to face Effingham County in the final game of the season.
"We have to love the game and love each other and that's our intentions going into this last week," Pennington said.
Horace Holloman may be reached at (912) 489-9408.
Box Score
GA 7 14 21 7 — 49
SHS 0 0 0 3 — 3
First Quarter
GA_Hurd 5 run (Churchwell kick) 4:08
Second Quarter
GA_Hurd 16 run (Churchwell kick) 11:52
GAHS_Dallas 14 pass to Johnson (Banks kick) 6:38
Third Quarter
GA_Dallas 52 pass to Thomas (Banks Kick) 7:40
GA_Dallas 49 run (Churchwell kick) 4:14
GA_Dallas 13 pass to Wilder (Churchwell kick) 1:25
Fourth Quarter
SHS_Miller 24 field goal 10:34
GAHS_River 4 run (Banks kick) 4:44
GA SHS
First downs 23 7
Total Yards 475 137
Rushes-yards 343 89
Passing 132 48
Comp-Att-Int 7-11-0 3-5-0
Turnovers 0 1
Penalties-Yards 10-75 5-45
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING_GA: Dallas 8-102, Rivers 9-90, Hurd 9-62, Demery 4-51, Cross 2-12; SHS: Lanier 14-64, Davis 12-44, Wiggins 4-10
PASSING_GA: Dallas 7-11-0-3-132; SHS: Wiggins 3-5-1-0-47
RECEIVING_GA: Thomas 1-53, Hurd 1-26, Lewis 1-14, Johnston 1-14, Demery 1-13, Wilder 1-13; SHS: Hunter 3-36, Davis 1-12
