(LINCOLNTON, GA) Lincoln County hammered Brooks County 52-16 here last Friday night to earn a berth in the Class A Division II semifinals. Kelby Glaze rushed for two touchdowns and returned a fumble for a third as fireworks celebrated every Devil touchdown.
The Red Devils will head southwest nearly five hours to Blakely to play Early County, 27-20 winners over previously-undefeated Screven County. The school system will have early release Friday considering the long travel time for the 7:30 kickoff.
The 10-3 Bobcats have won Region 1 the last four years since moving down a class. Their three losses came to two AAA schools and an Alabama school. Going into last week's game, Devonis Lee (#2) had rushed 150 times for 1,531 yards and 22 touchdowns. Evan Grist (#1) had rushed 115 times for 881 yards and 12 touchdowns, and had completed 28 of 51 passes for 479 yards and seven TDs. Kobe Lingo (#4) is their leading receiver with 11 catches for 149 yards. The Bobcats prefer to run, with 3,573 yards on the ground compared to 479 in the air.
The other semifinals will see three-time defending champion Bowdon travel to Homerville to take on the undefeated Clinch County Panthers. Bowdon whipped Jenkins County 49-22 and Clinch defeated Wheeler County 27-22 last Friday.
After a good opening kickoff return, the Trojans got a taste of what was to come as the Devil Defense pushed the visitors back seven yards on the first two plays from scrimmage. The Trojan punt rolled to near midfield. Glaze rushed for 11 and then five before Jonathan Norman pulled his foot loose from a would-be tackler and zoomed 33 yards to pay dirt. Fortson Partridge booted the PAT. Lincoln led 7-0 with 7:43 left in the opening quarter.
Brooks' best running back broke loose for 41 yards to the LC 39. The Devil defense stymied the drive, forcing a 32-yard field goal with just over four minutes remaining in the quarter.
Glaze ran down the right side for 45 yards for a touchdown with 3:47 left in the quarter. Partridge's kick was good for a 14-3 lead.
The Trojans fumbled with Lincoln County recovering on the BC 12. Mekhi Wade scored the first of his two TDs in the game on a 12-yard run with 3:19 left in the first quarter. Partridge was again good and the Devils led surprisingly 21-3.
Brooks County was caught at its half-yard line but escaped on a 53-yard pass into LC territory. A sack by Christian Elam and Aiden Jones on 3rd-&-9 cost the visitors eleven yards and turned the pigskin over on downs to the Devils.
Aiden Jones took the handoff, went right and broke two tackles on a 69-yard touchdown run. Partridge put the Devils up 28-3 with 8:35 left in the half.
Brooks scored on a two-yard run after two 25-yard plays. Lincoln led 28-10 with 7:07 remaining before the break. The two teams did not threaten to score again the remainder of the half.
The Red Devils scored on a one-yard run by Wade with just under five minutes left in the third quarter. The Devils managed to take seven minutes off the clock during the ten-play drive.
The Trojans fumbled in their backfield with Glaze grabbing the pigskin and running a few yards into the end zone. Partridge was again good and the lead changed to 35-10 with 4:48 left in the third.
Brooks County scored on a 29-yard pass with 1:37 left in the third to cut their deficit to 42-16. Brooks had negative rushing yardage until late in the game.
Glaze scored on a 17-yard run at the ten-minute mark of the final quarter. Partridge booted a 20-yard field goal at the two-minute mark to close out the scoring for the 52-16 victory.
Lincoln allowed 61 yards rushing and 240 yards passing but only two touchdowns. The LCHS offense totaled 333 yards, all on the ground.
The 52 points was the most given up by Brooks County since 57 in 2014. The 541 points scored by the Devils this season are the second most ever after 564 in 2003 (15 games).
The Devils are now 13-0-0. The 13 wins are the most since the 14-1 2006 state title season. In eight home games, LCHS has scored 348 points, surpassing 347 in 11 games 30 years ago.
Strom Thurmond High, which LCHS beat during the regular season, will play for the South Carolina Class AA state title.