CANEY BAY – Visiting Vidalia scored two first half touchdowns and put the game away with two more in the third period en route to a 30-0 non-region win here against Brantley County.
The Indians (3-1) used a ball-controlled offense and a dominating defensive effort to keep BCHS (0-4) winless on the season. Brantley County averaged just two yards on 21 rushing attempts finishing the game with 122 total yards.
“We just didn’t execute,” said Herons head coach David Shores afterwards. “After the game we had last week, I expected more improvement tonight.”
It looked like the Herons were off to a good start when Mason Kicklighter returned the opening kick 46 yards to the Vidalia 44.
Brantley County was able to convert a 4th-andtwo on Kaden Hendrix’s quarterback keep to move the chains. Three plays later and facing 3rd-and-18, a Hendrix pass (5-of-14, 80 yards) was picked off at the Indians’ 22.
Vidalia responded with a time-consuming 15-play drive covering the 78 yards. Quarterback Jackson Berry punched the ball in with a four-yard run with 54 seconds left in the first quarter. Adam Crutchfield’s PAT followed for a 7-0 lead.
Eli Thomas returned the ensuing 36-yard kick return gave Brantley County the ball at its own 48. The Herons’ fourth-and-one run early in the second period to keep the drive alive was stopped.
The Indians followed with another time-consuming touchdown drive of 57 yards in 12 plays. Jamarion Phillips (16 carries, 114 yards), who carried seven times for 35 yards in the possession, did the honors with a fouryard dive with Crutchfield’s PAT padding the margin to 14-0 with 4:28 remaining in the first half.
The Herons last possession of the half, one riddled with a combined nine penalties, also reached into Vidalia territory. Brantley County reached the Indians’ 25 before turning the ball over on downs.
The big play was a Hendrix to Payton Hanchey (two catches, 37 yards) 25yard pass to the Vidalia 28. Four more plays netted three yards.
Vidalia opened the second with a six-play, 67yard scoring drive extending the lead to 220. Phillips broke off a 31yard burst and capped the drive with an 18-yard run. He added the two-point conversion with 9:38 remaining in the third period.
After forcing a turnover at the Herons’ 47, Vidalia needed just one play to cover the distance. Berry connected with Brycen Burns for the 47-yard touchdown just 25 seconds after the previous score. Phillips’ two-point conversion run pushed the margin to 30-0.
Brantley County followed with a 12-play, 31yard possession highlighted by a 35-yard screen from Hendrix to Kicklighter moving the ball to the Indians’ 40 before stalling.
The final period was played under the “mercy rule.”
Brantley County has an open date before hosting current eighth-ranked unbeaten Jeff Davis (4-0) September 20 in the Region 1-A opener for both teams. The Yellow Jackets are also idle this week.
