In front of approximately 1,000 spectators, the Bulloch Academy Gators picked up where they left off in Paulson with a 49-20 win over the Portal Panthers in the 14th annual Erk Russell Classic. The Gators left nothing to chance with all three phases: offense, defense, and special teams all contributing to this commanding win.
Fourth Quarter
The Gators extended their lead in the fourth quarter with two late-game rushing touchdowns. Quarterback Sam Hubbard scored on a 3-yard run with 7:54 left on the clock, and the successful extra point made it 42-14. Later, BJ Smart, with his first touchdown of the night, punched in a 4-yard run with 4:56 left on the clock, bringing the score to 49-14. The Panthers managed one final score when Zeke Percell, who had a strong night, ran for a 55-yard touchdown with 3:26 left on the clock, bringing the final tally to 49-20.
Third Quarter
Bulloch Academy began the third quarter with an unsportsmanlike penalty on defense but quickly regrouped. The Gators' defense and special teams proved to be the difference-makers, scoring two safeties. The first came at the 10:31 mark after a blocked kick, and the second was a result of a Panthers' fumble in their own end zone with 6:25 left on the clock. On offense, Billy Crider caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from Sam Hubbard with 8:19 left on the clock. The Gators' offense was a little stymied, with Josh Coleman sacking the Panthers' quarterback on third down, forcing the Gators to settle for a 31-yard field goal by Case Woodrum with 2:31 left on the clock, making the score 35-14.
Second Quarter
Penalties were a recurring issue for the Gators in the first half. The scoring in the second quarter started with a Danye Garvin 2-yard rushing touchdown with 8:53 left on the clock, putting the Gators up 14-6. Portal's Zeke Percell responded with a 28-yard rushing touchdown with 7:05 left on the clock, and a successful two-point conversion by Jason Crawford tied the game at 14-14. The Gators regained the lead before halftime on a 3-yard rushing touchdown by Sam Hubbard with 2:00 left on the clock, bringing the score to 21-14.
First Quarter
In the first quarter, Danye Garvin started the scoring for Bulloch Academy with a touchdown run at the 5:43 mark, giving the Gators a 7-0 lead. Portal quickly answered with a long 85-yard rushing touchdown by Jason Crawford with 4:46 left on the clock, though the Panthers missed the extra point, making the score 7-6. The first quarter ended with the Gators holding on to a one-point lead.
Gators head coach Aaron Phillips was proud of how his team kept fighting through to the end. According to him, this team played with relentless effort and grit.
“How can you beat somebody that won’t give up,” Phillips said. “We keep praising this everyday and these guys are buying and believing in it. If we can be resilient, grind, and just play hard-nosed football, who says we can’t be in Macon at the end of November?”
On the other hand, Panthers head coach Jason McEachin was disappointed with the outcome not expecting for it to end in that fashion. To him, the first half was okay, but in a combination of all three phases: offense, defense, and special teams, his Panther team just couldn’t seem to bounce back with a balanced attack, which between mental and physical mistakes put the game out of reach.
In order to turn things around, McEachin said “it all starts with going back, digging down deep, and correcting the fundamentals.” He knows that once they start there, they can learn how to finish and overcome adversity better.
Live Score Updates
Once again this football season, Grice Connect Sports will offer live scoring powered by ScoreStream. To get live score during the game or anytime you want local sports scores go to the Sports link on the Grice Connect website.
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