BROOKLET — After another unexpected week off due to severe weather this season, the Southeast Bulloch Yellow Jackets are back on the field tonight for the first of three straight home games as they prepare to face the Savannah High School Blue Jackets.
    Hurricane Matthew forced the postponement of last week’s game and forced the cancellation of Bulloch County schools on Monday and Tuesday. The team still practiced those days even as the players and their families were dealing with other issues from Matthew.
    “We’ve done a great job this week at practice,” said SEB Head Coach Pat Collins. “Several families and boys had a lot to deal with and they’ve done a great job with being present at practice and doing what they’re supposed to do while at practice. It’s tough for kid to do without water and power (at home) and I’m proud of their efforts this week.
    The Yellow Jackets (2-3, 2-1 in Region 3-AAA) are facing a Savannah High School team that comes in to action tonight sitting atop the region standings with a 2-0 region record and are 4-1 overall on the season.
    “They are off to their best start in 25 years,” said SEB head coach Pat Collins. “This is very similar to the Windsor Forest game for us in that we’re playing a team off to their best start in years and they are tied for first in the region. It’s just a few weeks later,”
    The Blue Jackets have given up the fewest points in all of Class AAA so far this season, surrendering only eight points per game. Southeast Bulloch, however, will be the toughest region foe Savannah High has faced this year as the combined record for Savannah High’s opponents thus far is 4-18.
    The Yellow Jackets are coming off a 42-6 win over Windsor Forrest in their last game in which they were able to dominate the game, rushing for six touchdowns and also forcing two turnovers.
    The Blue Jackets have benefited from continuity at the head coaching position, Collins said. This is the third season for Anthony Welch and the Blue Jackets have improved each year under his leadership.
    Collins said the Blue Jackets will run plays out of multiple formations and they have been executing more effectively than in year’s past. Collins credited defensive coordinator Jack Webb and his staff for developing a game play to slow down the Blue Jackets.
    “We still have to go out and execute the plan,” Collins said.
    Southeast Bulloch has relied on their ground game all season and are expected to do so again tonight. The Yellow Jackets are averaging 274 yards per game on the ground with Chase Walker accounting for more than half of that, with 692 yards and 11 touchdowns on the season.
    Jontrell Wells adds an explosive outside rushing threat as he has four touchdowns and a 7.6 yards per carry average on the season.
    Quarterback Caleb Carter leads a passing attack that averages 76 yards per game. Wells has been Carter’s favorite target this season with six receptions and a touchdown on the years.
    Defensively, Johnathan Volskay has been a dominating force for Southeast Bulloch with 55 tackles and one interception on the season. Volskay and the defense will need to slow down the Blue Jackets’ offense that’s averaging 37 points per game.
    This is only the second home game for the Yellow Jackets this season and Collins is hoping for a big crowd to support the Yellow Jackets.
    Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Fred Shaver Field and will be streamed live on statesboroherald.com beginning at 7:20 p.m.