For the second consecutive season, the Bulloch Academy Gators finished the regular season undefeated, cruising to a 48-7 win over Pinewood Christian Academy Friday night to clinch the region title.
The Gators (9-0, 3-0) used their dominant rushing attack and a swarming defense to shut down a PCA (2-8, 1-2) offense that came into Friday’s game averaging nearly 23 points a game while scoring on their first four possessions of the game.
“One thing that doesn’t get talked about enough is our defense,” said BA Head Coach Aaron Phillips. “We’re scoring a lot of points, but the points we’re giving up are late in the game in mop up duty. We’ve had a lot of goose eggs this year and (our seniors) have been with (this coaching staff) for three years. Coach (Robbie) Holder has been with me for three years. Having that stability and the same staff over and over is something I attribute a lot of our success to.”
The Gators held PCA to 144 yards of total offense on the night, with most of that coming late in the game when the outcome was already decided.
Offensively, meanwhile, the Gators didn’t complete a pass and didn’t need to as they ran for more than 500 yards with both Shamar Jekins (179 yards) and Ike Hubbard (115 yards) topping the century mark. In fact, the duo each had more than 100 yards in the first half.
Phillips praised his offensive line for creating the holes for the Gators’ backs to run through.
“We want to be big, physical and nasty up front,” he said. “They take pride in that and they like being that kind of guy.”
After forcing the Patriots to punt on their first possession, the Gators took over at their own 16 yard line. Four plays later, facing a third and 2, running back Shamar Jenkins took a handoff up the middle, cut to the right and raced 64 yards down the right side, outrunning the Patriot defenders to the endzone for the first of his three scores on the night to give BA an early lead. Case Woodrum’s extra point made it 7-0.
The Gators stopped PCA on a fourth down attempt, giving BA the ball at the Patriots 40. Again it only took Bulloch Academy four plays to find paydirt, this time Danye Garvin finding the endzone on a five-yard run. Woodrum’s extra point extended the lead to 14-0.
Garvin would finish with 57 yards on 12 carries.
Bulloch Academy again forced a punt from the Patriots, taking over on their own 20. As the first quarter ended, the Gators advanced to the PCA 47.
On the first play of the second quarter, Jenkins took a handoff, found a hole and appeared to score the Gators’ third score of the night. A holding penalty, however, negated the score, putting the Gators in a precarious third down needing 12 yards to extend the drive.
The Gators were stuffed on a running play up the middle, but a personal foul on the Patriots gave BA a first down. A 27-yard run by sophomore Ike Hubbard set up the Gators with a first and goal. Two plays later Jenkins would again score and Woodrum’s PAT made it 21-0.
Billy Crider capped off a 10-play, 93 yard drive on the Gators’ fourth possession of the half on a 10 yard reverse. Woodrum’s fourth PAT of the first half gave BA a 28-0 lead going into the half.
The Gators extinguished any thought of a comeback on the first play of the second half. Jenkins took a handoff from his own 40 and ran by the Patriot defenders for a 60 yard strike to extend the BA lead to 34-0.
Parker Chance and Rocco Reiss both added scores in the second half, sandwiched around a Patriot touchdown, to account for the final score.
Bulloch Academy’s playoff opponent was not known as of publication time. Check back with statesboroherald.com for updates on the Gators playoff opponent.
If the Gators are the first or second seed in the playoffs, they’ll finish the season in Bulloch County as they’d host at Gator Alley and if they advance to the championship game, it will be held at Allen E. Paulson Stadium on the campus of Georgia Southern.
