CANEY BAY — Brantley County closes out its regular season home schedule Friday night hosting winless Berrien High in a Region 1-A matchup on Senior Night.
The Herons (1-6 overall, 1-2 region) are coming in off a 62-0 loss to fourthranked region leader Thomasville.
“I told the players after Friday’s game to just throw that game in the trash,” said head coach David Shores. “We got caught up in the atmosphere of playing against a very good team and they just took it to us. It was just a tidal wave that hit us.
“It’s going to be good being back at home with the extra motivation of it being Senior Night.
The Rebels (0-7, 0-3) dropped a 56-7 decision to No. 5 Fitzgerald, the lone common foe between the two schools. The Purple Hurricane knocked Brantley County 46-14 two weeks earlier.
Berrien’s loss was its eighth straight and 15th in the last 17 games dating back to a second round loss at Pierce County in the 2022 Class AA playoffs.
Friday’s meeting in Caney Bay is the 28th in the series. The Rebels hold a 21-6 advantage having won five of the last six encounters following a three-game winning streak by Brantley County (2002-03, 2010).
Berrien had won 16 of 17 games before the Herons’ 2002 victory. The matchup is two struggling offenses against two defenses allowing better than 40 points a game. The Brantley County offense is generating 10 points per outing with a high of 28 points in a 28-21 victory over then seventh-ranked Jeff Davis handing the Yellow Jackets their first loss. Berrien’s odd-man front (50) defense is allowing 44.3 points per game with all seven opponents scoring at least 35 points. Three teams have score 40-plus and two others 50-plus. “We want to come out running the ball to control the game,” Shores said. “We’re going against a defensive scheme that is similar to what we do.”
The Rebels’ wing-T offense is averaging 14.1 points and has scored more than 14 points once,that coming in a 41-40 shootout at Lanier County. Berrien has scored just seven points in the last two games.
BCHS’s defense is surrendering 40.3 points after giving up 60-plus points for a second time this year. Two other foes reached the 40-point plateau.
“They’ve (Rebels) got some quick guys,” said Shores. “Their wingbacks (No. 0, No. 1; no roster on MaxPreps) give defenses fits. The fullback is No. 9. The quarterback (No. 4) is a gritty, little player who is more athletic than he looks.
“They moved the ball against Fitzgerald (300 yards total offense; 221 rushing) using the option and mid-line veer getting chunk plays. We’ve got to do a good job against the option and be disciplined with reading our keys.”
