PHOTOS: Dublin, Long County collide in spring football scrimmage

Dublin made a statement in its spring scrimmage last Friday as it took on (and took it to) the Long County Blue Tide at the Shamrock Bowl.

By Clay Reynolds

●

Sports

●

May 20, 2026

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Dublin made a statement in its spring scrimmage last Friday as it took on (and took it to) the Long County Blue Tide at the Shamrock Bowl.

The Irish alternated between their starting, second-string and JV units throughout the game, but were fairly dominant on offense and defense with each group – the first two combining to force three turnovers and score 52 points by halftime – in an impressive 80-0 shutout that will springboard them into summer workouts starting soon.

Here are scenes from Friday’s action:

OUR BALL: Jalen Dardy (51) and teammates celebrate after the second-quarter fumble recovery of Kye Young (3) for a third Irish takeaway of the first half/CLAY REYNOLDS

AWASH WITH PRESSURE: Blue Tide quarterback Ayden Vaughan tries to get a throw off under duress from Dublin D-lineman Roberto Santos/CLAY REYNOLDS

TOUCHDOWN CONNECTION: Ryland Yates finds Travion Bostic for a second-quarter score/CLAY REYNOLDS

BOND BREAKOUT: Vicente Bond Jr. pulled away from the pursuit on multiple carries, engaging the afterburners on the way to his first touchdown (above) before using a stiff arm to get loose off tackle on another big run (below) in the first quarter/CLAY REYNOLDS

ISAAC INTs: Malik Isaac goes up to bring in his second of two picks early in the second quarter/CLAY REYNOLDS

LOWERING THE BOOM: Dontavius Cannon thunders across the goal line for another Irish TD in the opening quarter/CLAY REYNOLDS

ON STRANGER TIDES: Irish fans could spot the familiar face of former Dublin and East Laurens assistant coach Steve Verpsrille (right), just wearing a different color than anyone’s used to, as he made his return to the Shamrock Bowl for Friday’s scrimmage on the Long County sideline. The former Alabama linebacker sports the Crimson of his collegiate Tide quite often, but has added Columbia and Navy to his palette after joining the staff of Blue Tide head coach Mike Pfiester (left) a couple seasons ago/CLAY REYNOLDS

THERE HE GOES AGAIN: V.J. Bond turns the corner with blockers out front on another big first-quarter carry by the Irish 1s/CLAY REYNOLDS

COACHING ‘EM UP: Dublin head coach Roger Holmes converses with a player on the field during Friday’s second quarter/CLAY REYNOLDS

THE OLD MIDLINE: Quarterback Ryland Yates (17, above) reads defenders before leaving the ball with his fullback Jaydon McRae (15), whom blockers would spring for a double-digit gain up the middle (below) on this late-second quarter drive leading to yet another Irish touchdown/CLAY REYNOLDS

Author

Clay Reynolds

Clay has headed up the Sports Desk since 2020, but his background at The Courier Herald – as a virtual jack of all trades – covers close to 15 years in a variety of full- and part-time roles since breaking in as a student intern during high school in 2010. The Dublin native, a proud alum of the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, has received numerous Georgia Press Association awards for his writing, photography and editing, including first-place honors recognizing the paper’s sports section in 2022, and its annual Heart of Georgia Football preview in 2023. In addition to reading his area sports coverage, you can also hear him on the radio as a local play-by-play voice, host of 92.7 WKKZ’s “Tailgate Party” and occasional contributor to the Georgia Southern Sports Network.

PHOTOS: Dublin, Long County collide in spring football scrimmage

Author

Related Articles