By JOSEPH ODOM
News Sports Writer
This past Friday night, Oct. 12, J.U. Blacksher High School Bulldogs gave their homecoming crowd a show in a close game against Chickasaw.
To start the game Chickasaw received the ball on kickoff and managed to score on the return making Blacksher start the game already behind 7 points. Only 4 plays into their first possession, Blacksher fumbled the ball and let Chickasaw scoop and score making the score 14-0 with 10:15 left in the first.
Blacksher managed to score on their next possession on a 10-yard run by #17 linebacker and running back freshman JaDaniel Nettles making the score 7-14 with 6:05 left in the first.
To start the second quarter Chickasaw managed to score again, making the score 14-21 with 9:30 left in the half. After the ball changed possession 3 times, Blacksher was able to score on a 6-yard run by #4 defensive back and wide receiver junior J.T. Tucker making the score 14-21 with 47.8 seconds on the clock. Chickasaw refused to leave the game with just a 1-touchdown difference scoring with 10.4 seconds left on the clock making the score 14-28 going into halftime.
To start the second half of the game, Chickasaw kicked the ball off to Blacksher. After an 8-play drive Blacksher was able to score on a 30-yard run by #2 defensive back and quarterback sophomore K.D. Rabb. This made the score 21-28 with 8:44 left in the third. Chickasaw was unable to score on their next possession. Blacksher took advantage of their situation and scored on a 75-yard run by Rabb making the score 28-28 with the third coming to a close.
Blacksher started the fourth quarter with the ball but turned it over on downs shortly into the quarter. Chickasaw refused to leave the score at a tie and scored on their next possession making the score 28-35 with 6:51 left in the fourth. After an 11-play drive Blacksher managed to tie up the game once again 35-35 with just 3:19 left in the game.
Chickasaw was unable to produce anything on their next possession and after only 4 plays turned the ball back over to Blacksher on downs. As the clock wound down it seemed as if the game was about to go into overtime. Blacksher drove down the field watching the clock tick down and with just 6.9 seconds on the clock, Blacksher managed to pull into the lead with a field goal by #9 kicker sophomore Andrew Dawson. The final score of the game was 38-35.
Defensively Blacksher gave up 165 yards rushing and 42 yards passing for a total of 207 lost yards on defense. Blacksher was led in rushing yards by Rabb with 192 rushing yards followed by Nettles who had 82 rushing yards. Blacksher totaled 310 rushing yards and 62 yards passing. Blacksher totaled 372 offensive yards.
Head Coach Wes Sims said, “The game didn’t start out the way we wanted, but our guys played hard to fight all the way back for the win. Our defense played well at times and our offense scored when we needed to. A field goal in the last seconds of the game by Andrew Dawson sealed the win. It was a big region win for us.”
Blacksher plays Leroy this Friday night at 7 at home.