As if the Statesboro players hadn't been on enough rides with the Kiwanis Fair in town this week, Friday night was a rollercoaster of emotions as the Blue Devils and Evans Knights traded blows with the Blue Devils coming out on top 36-35.
Trailing 35-28 with less than 30 seconds to play Blue Devil head coach Matt Dobson reached into his bag of tricks and Statesboro executed a perfect hook and ladder for a touchdown. Beckham Jarrard hit Todd Easter who flipped the ball back to a streaking M.J. Kimble who ran 35 yards into the end zone to cut the lead to one.
Dobson elected to go for a two-point conversion and D.J. Brooks busted through the middle to give the Blue Devils a 36-35 lead with 19 seconds remaining.
“I was always planning on going for two right there,”Dobson said. “I wasn’t sure what I was going to run but Davis Harrison came up to me and said to run the play we did to D.J. and we executed it perfectly.”
The Knights got to midfield but their attempt at a Hail Mary fell short as Keyshawn Polk came up with an interception at the five-yard line as time expired.
“This is what high school football is about,” Dobson said. “We didn’t play our best but I’m so proud of our kids for keeping on and fighting till the very end.”
Evans had scored touchdowns on four of five possessions but Statesboro made a goal line stand late in the fourth quarter.
Evans had four tries from the Blue Devils one-yard line and Statesboro stopped them each time. Getting the ball back with 2:44 to go in the game.
“We didn’t play well defensively for most of the game,” Dobson said. “We asked them to bow their necks when they got down to the one and then told them the same thing three more times and our guys came through.”
Evan’s defense answered two plays later as Beckham Jarrard got hit at the 20-yard line and fumbled. Christian Scott scooped and scored a touchdown to give the Knights a 35-28 lead with 2:22 left in the game.
“He’s fighting for extra yards and they made a good hit to cause the fumble,” Dobson said. “Credit to their defense for making a play when they had to, and to our team for not hanging their heads after they scored.”
Evans starred the scoring on a 62-yard run from Brycen Gaunt on the first play from scrimmage for a 7-0 lead. Statesboro answered in the second quarter on a five yard pass from Jarrard to Kevin Sello. The two-point try failed leaving the score 7-6.
Evans added a pair of scores to go up 21-6 but Statesboro responded with a two-yard D.J. Brooks touchdown to cut the lead to 21-13 at the half.
In the third the two teams traded touchdowns with Brooks scoring again and added a two-point pass from Jarrard to Harrison. Evans answered with a nine-yard touchdown by Bryce Parker to take a 28-21 lead. Brooks then added his third touchdown of the game to tie it at 28-28 early in the fourth.
“This win certainly gives us momentum,” Dobson said. “We needed something good to happen to us and now with two games left we have given ourselves a great chance to make the post season.”
Brooks led the way with 148 yards on 28 carries. Statesboro had 376 yards of offense and Evans had 354 yards.
Next up Statesboro travels to Jenkins next Friday.
