The Long County Blue Tide 2026 football season had a late start when they traveled to Statesboro to take on the McIntosh County Academy Buccaneers as part of the 15th Annual Erk Russell Classic at Georgia Southern University’s Paulson Stadium.
Lightning delayed the game before the Blue Tide’s game, which was already slated to start at 9:00 p.m. The delay caused the Tide’s game to have an 11:30 p.m. kickoff, but it still ended with the Tide taking a 30-13 win over their rivals.
The Buccaneers started the game with the ball and took nearly ten minutes off the clock, driving down inside the Tide 20 before their fourth down pass attempt was just short of the sticks, and the Tide took over from their own seven.
Just two plays later, Sandejago Wilson took the handoff and raced 79 yards for the touchdown to put the Tide up 8-0 after the two-point conversion.
As the first quarter came to a close, the Buccaneers were once again in Tide territory before Zaccheaus Paxton came down with an interception at the 37.
The Tide got a reprieve from a mistake as the Buccaneers picked up a fumble and ran it back for a touchdown. There was an inadvertent whistle and the play was restarted.
Zayne Vaughn found tight end Kyler Freeman for a first down through the air before Markyl Allen picked up 18 yards and Wilson picked up another 15.
Wilson finished off the drive for his second touchdown of the night as the Tide went up 14-0.
The Buccaneers finally answered the Tide as they went 70 yards on the first play of the next drive to make the score 14-7 with just under six minutes to play until halftime.
The teams seemingly traded possessions when the Tide lost a fumble, and the Buccaneers went three and out after a big Allen sack on third down.
However, the Tide were called for roughing the kicker on the punt. The Buccaneers got a first down at the Tide 41.
A high snap and a holding call pushed them way back as the Tide forced a turnover on downs and took over at their 42. A holding call pushed the Tide back before disaster struck.
The handoff was fumbled before the Buccaneers picked it up and went 30 yards for the touchdown. The two point conversion was no good as the Tide held on to a slim 14-13 lead at the half.
It was the Tide’s ball to start the third quarter and it looked like the Buccaneers had all the momentum as they forced a punt. A personal foul call on the Buccaneers gave the Tide a first down at the 48 before Paxton took the handoff and went 48 yards for the touchdown.
With a now-two possession lead once again, the Tide seemed much more comfortable, despite the Buccaneers picking up a fourth down and long on a fake punt.
The Tide defense held strong as they forced a turnover on downs and took over at their own 37.
Allen finally broke free on a long run as he went 63 yards for the touchdown to make the score 30-13 after the two point conversion.
That score held as the Tide defense got big plays from Allen and Paxton and they kept the ball moving on offense. The Tide held on to win 30-13.
For just the second time in the series history, the Tide took the win over the Buccaneers after an 11-year hiatus of the two teams playing regular season games.
The Tide open the year 1-0 with the win and will have a week off before taking on Screven County in Sylvania on September 4.
