A rain-soaked night did not damper the spirits of the Battle Creek Warriors or their fans. Tattnall County used a dominant rushing attack and a bend but not break defense to turn back the Rebels of Hephzibah to the tune of a 30-14 score.
The Rebels won the toss and elected to kick off to the Warriors. Tattnall got a nice return by Jeremiah Mayner to their own 40-yard line. Tattnall methodically marched down field on a long-sustained drive, using all running plays.
Ike Ferrell and company added a new dimension to the offense. They went with a little tempo, and it worked like a charm. The quicker pace caught the Rebel defense off guard, and they seemed to be on their heels in the early going.
Tattnall’s Junior Running Back David Hill capped off the drive with a three-yard run to pay dirt. Sophomore Angelo Bonilla drilled the PAT, and Tattnall County led, 7-0, midway through the first quarter. Tattnall’s defense would then force the Rebels to punt on their first possession. After the exchange, the Warrior offense moved into Rebel territory once again. This time, the drive stalled, and Bonilla was called up to kick a field goal. The wet ball and unfavorable conditions had no effect on the young kicker, as Bonilla’s attempt to split the uprights gave Tattnall County a 10-0 lead in the first quarter.
The Warrior defense once again did their job and forced a Rebel punt. Warrior Junior Xavier Friendly darted through the line on a counter play and sprinted 70 yards to the end zone. Bonilla’s PAT was no good, and the Warriors led, 16-0, at the 11:47 minute mark of the second quarter.
The Rebels finally got things in gear offensively on their next drive as they went to the air attack. The air raid seemed to befuddle the Warrior secondary. Hephzibah got on the board on a perfectly designed 38-yard screen play. The PAT was good, and Tattnall’s lead was cut to 16-7 with 5:53 left in the second quarter.
Not to be outdone, the Warrior offense quickly responded. Makell Lawson (#23) ripped off a 70-yard jaunt down the right side and was finally brought down from behind at the Rebel two-yard line. On the next play, Lawson finished what he started as he scored on a two-yard run. Bonilla made good on the PAT, and the Warriors led, 23-7, at the half.
After the break, the Rebels came out with a sense of urgency. Hephzibah took the second half kickoff and came flying down the field with their passing game.
The Rebels would get their second touchdown later in the drive, this time on a 28-yard line touchdown pass. The PAT was good, and the Warriors led, 23-14. The Warrior offense then took matters into their own hands. Tattnall County would cap a long drive with a one-yard touchdown by David Hill with 5:25 minutes to play. Bonilla spit the uprights on the PAT, and the Warriors would hold on to take the victory, 30-14.
Tattnall County improves to 2-1 on the season, and Hephzibah falls to 2-2.
For the Warriors, Makell Lawson had 14 carries and 141 yards. David Hill had 13 carries, 47 yards, and two touchdowns. Jeremiah Mayner had 10 carries, 38 yards, two catches, and eight yards with 51 special team yards. Aaron Proctor had seven carries and 15 yards. Miles Brown had eight yards passing. Xavier Friendly had four carries, 79 yards, and one touchdown.
The Warriors will travel to Brooklet this Friday to battle with Southeast Bulloch at 7:30 p.m.
