Playing without starting quarterback Kam Mikell the Statesboro offense was still able to manage 42 points. The problem was the Blue Devil defense gave up 43 points and Statesboro fell 43-42 in overtime to Glynn Academy in their season opener.
Statesboro scored a 2-yard touchdown run by Jordan Lovett to take a 35-28 lead with 1:30 left in the game. Out of time outs the Red Terror were able to go 60-yards and scored the tying touchdown as time expired on a 4-yard pass from Tyler Devlin to 6-5 receiver David Prince who also made a huge catch on the same drive on fourth down and 10.
In overtime Statesboro started with the ball and scored on a 10-yard run by Jordan Lovett, who had 277 yards rushing and three touchdowns in the game to lead the Blue Devils. Glynn Academy punched in a 5-yard touchdown by Greg Peacock moments later and it looked like the game was headed to a second overtime. Coach Rocky Hidalgo then got a little tricky and had the holder on the point after toss the ball to his kicker Kody Arnold who hustled around the far sideline and into the end zone for the two-point conversion and a 43-42 victory.
“Our defense had issues because we were missing five guys,” said SHS coach Jeff Kaiser. “They missed because we are undisciplined both in the school and on the field. Tonight, we were also undisciplined as a coaching staff. I’m proud of our kids but we have to get a lot tougher. When you score that many points you should win.”
Most of the time when you lose your starting quarterback and he is replaced by an underclassman who has only taken two varsity snaps that is a bad thing. Friday night Statesboro sophomore Bruce Yawn did a solid job subbing for an injured Mikell.
In his first start at quarterback sophomore Yawn came through in a clutch situation for his first ever completion. Facing fourth and 13 from the Glynn Academy 31-yard line Yawn threw a perfect 31-yard pass hitting receiver James Flagg in stride in the end zone. Michael Crews extra point gave Statesboro a 7-0 lead.
After about a 25-minute weather delay the Red Terrors answered as they moved downfield and capped a scoring drive with a 12-yard toss sweep to Greg Peacock as they tied things up 7-7. The Blue Devils opened the second quarter with a 35-yard touchdown strike from Yawn to Flagg to take a 14-7 lead.
Pinned deep Devlin was picked off by the Blue Devils A.J. Eason who went five yards for the score and Statesboro extended their lead to 21-7. Glynn Academy then started taking advantage of the Blue Devils front line and drove down the field 75-yards capping the drive with an 11-yard keeper by Devlin to cut the lead to 21-14 at the half.
In the second half Statesboro scored their first touchdown on the ground as Jordan Lovett broke tackles down the near sidelines and went 70-yards for the score to extend the lead to 28-14. Once again, the Red Terror answered as Peacock scored from 9-yards out from of the wildcat formation to cut the lead to 28-21.
A Daniel Smiley touchdown by the Terrors tied the game at 28-28. With time winding down in the fourth Lovett helped set the next Statesboro score up after a 52-yard run inside the Glynn 20-yard line. Statesboro would elect to go for it on fourth and one from the 2-yard line and Lovett in the wildcat formation got the yard to move the chains. Lovett then scored the go-ahead touchdown as Statesboro led 35-28 with 1:30 left in the game.
Next up for the Blue Devils they will play another team who lost a heartbreaker as they play Southeast Bulloch Saturday at 9:00 at the Erk Russell Classic in Paulson Stadium.
