FRIDAY NIGHT SCOREBOARD: East Laurens ends streak in ‘Border War,’ Dublin slams Swainsboro

The “Border War” belonged to the East Laurens Falcons for the first time since 2007, Dublin was nearly dominant in a big opening win at No. 3-ranked state runner-up Swainsboro and Trinity fell short of Brentwood in a valiant opener on the season’s first night of high school football in Laurens County.

Across the greater area, Montgomery and Wilkinson counties made early impressions under new head coaches, while Washington County and Vidalia both stubbed their toes in regular-season debuts.

Here’s a quick summary of Friday’s local games, followed by a look at other area final scores that had been reported as of 12 p.m.

Read Tuesday’s print edition, or check courierheraldtoday.com/sports for full recaps and coverage of Friday’s games.

EAST LAURENS 13, JOHNSON COUNTY 8

The Falcons brought a 10-game losing streak against Johnson County to an end at the New Falcon Field, as Ty Snead tossed a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to help key a miracle ending, in a game that was a matter of plays from going the opposite direction.

The Trojans were in control, up 8-6 with two minutes remaining, in need of only a first down in plus territory to put it away. But disaster, as it had all night, struck for JoCo at the worst time.

East’s Bryson Hazley and Raquis Stanley bottled up Tayshaun Norris, and stripped the ball out of his hands, on a third down run. Hazley recovered to give the Falcons new life, and what followed was about a 60-yard drive for a game-winning score.

A long Snead completion to Kemo Mitchell got East into the red zone, where the Falcons were down to about two plays from 15 yards out with no timeouts and less than half a minute to go. Snead tossed it out into space to Norrion King, who made several miss on a quick sprint, and went tumbling over the goal line for the go-ahead score with seven seconds to spare. The remaining time expired on JoCo’s kickoff return.

East Laurens finished strong in a game riddled with mishaps on each side. A penalty cost the Falcons a touchdown in a first half that ended scoreless, while JoCo turned the ball over multiple times in opposing territory, including a yard from the game’s first touchdown on a bad snap at the Falcon 1 early in the third quarter.

JoCo would get the game’s first points anyway, via safety on a low East Laurens punt snap into the end zone that Carson Smith went to a knee trying to scoop up for the kick. J.D. Carswell burrowed in from less than a yard to add to the JoCo lead early in the fourth, finishing off the Trojans’ only successful scoring drive of the night, but East Laurens would answer with a march of its own to score on Snead’s completion to Jeremiah Rozier on the next possession.

NEXT: East Laurens opens region play in the Shamrock Bowl against Dublin, and JoCo continues an early-season road trip at Montgomery County.

DUBLIN 41, SWAINSBORO 21

The Tigers scored first with a great opening drive, but were relentlessly pounded by the Irish ground attack the rest of the night. Dublin used some opportune special teams plays, including a short punt and failed onside kick, that got it started on short fields for early scoring drives and the first of multiple touchdown carries by Micah O’Neal and Xavier Bostic.

O’Neal would complete a touchdown pass on the final play of the half to put a third unanswered touchdown on the board, and stretch Dublin’s lead to 22-7 on the way to halftime. Another ill-fated Swainsboro onside kick attempt on the other side set the Irish up at midfield, and they cashed in once more with a drive to score on a run by Willie Batts, and go up 28-7 early in the third.

The Tigers came up with some key plays, but found themselves too far from striking distance in the time remaining. And Dublin, for good measure, added on two more scores via runs by both O’Neal and Bostic.

Bostic would also pick off a pass to deny a Swainsboro threat in the red zone late in the fourth quarter.

NEXT: Dublin will host East Laurens in the Shamrock Bowl next Friday, Swainsboro visits crosstown rival ECI.

BRENTWOOD 44, TRINITY CHRISTIAN 21

The Eagles pulled away in the second half of a game that was tight early on. Both teams scored on long drives their first two possessions, and Brentwood kicked a field goal with two seconds left in the first half to make it 17-14.

But from there, the Crusaders turned the ball over three times, and Brentwood kept hitting big plays – primarily from Zach Denton, who had three touchdowns and led the Eagles in rushing with 149 yards.

Trinity’s Wade Register ran for over 100 yards and a touchdown, and Ben Castro-Poveda threw for 101 yards and two scores, adding almost 50 on the ground to lead the way for the Crusaders. Brooks Barrs, in the first half, and Ben Polhill, in the second, recorded Trinity touchdown catches.

NEXT: Trinity goes on the road to Gatewood next Friday. Brentwood will open its home schedule against Pinewood Christian.

AREA SCOREBOARD

Montgomery Co. 35, Baconton Charter 13

Treutlen 40, Twiggs Co. 0

Wilkinson Co. 34, Wheeler Co. 20

Jeff Davis 22, Washington Co. 6

Long Co. 20, Vidalia 10

Lee Co. 45, Warner Robins 28

Jones Co. 41, Veterans 26

Peach Co. 40, Northeast 21

Northside 38, Eagles Landing 18

ECI 13, Wilcox Co. 7

Hawkinsville 23, Marion Co. 21

Westfield 55, Brookwood 6

Bethlehem Christian 28, John Milledge 14

GMC 35, Atkinson Co. 16

Screven Co. 6, Jefferson Co. 0

Lamar Co. 24, Telfair Co. 8

Piedmont 41, Thomas Jefferson 7

Stratford 27, Pacelli 7

FPD 10, ELCA 0

Mount de Sales 37, Loganville Christian 35

Brookstone 26, Tattnall 15

Windsor 26, Pataula Charter 12

Tiftarea Academy 48, CFCA 0

Dougherty County 44, Central Macon 0

Macon County 26, Southwest Macon 19