ECI hosted Swainsboro Friday at Rountree Stadium, defeating the Tigers 24-21 to improve their record to 2-0. With the win, the Bulldogs broke into the top ten in Class A division 2 at number 10 this week. The Bulldogs put points on the board on both sides of the ball during the game. The defense scored nine points while the offense provided 15. With kickoffs into the endzone and punts pinning the Tigers deep in their own territory, the Bulldog special teams and kicker/punter Oisin Matthews was another factor in the Bulldogs’ win. The Bulldogs defense got their first turnover on the Tigers’ first drive of the game. Tyler Foreman intercepted a Swainsboro pass to put the offense in business at the Tiger 40. ECI was forced to punt to end the short drive. The defense put the first points on the board for ECI in the first quarter. The Tigers committed an unforced error with a bad snap on their next possession which resulted in a safety, tackling Brown in the endzone to put the Bulldogs up 2-0 in the first quarter. The Bulldog offense got their first points of the game on the ensuing kickoff after the safety. Tyler Foreman broke through the middle of the Tiger defense and raced down the home sidelines for a 34-yard touchdown run to increase the Bulldog first quarter lead to 9-0. Both offenses added a touchdown in the second quarter. Chase Johnson turned the corner for a Bulldog touchdown on a 10-yard run for score. Quin Brown called his own number for a 3-yard run for the Tiger touchdown to make the scored 17-7 late in the second quarter. The Bulldogs were looking to extend their lead at the end of the half. A Jackson Kennedy to Daon Bethea 38-yard pass and catch set the Bulldogs up at the Tiger 11-yard line with a few seconds left in the half. The Tigers took a little momentum into the locker room, blocking the FG as time ran off the clock. The Tigers built on that momentum to begin the third quarter, scoring on their opening drive. Brown called his number again from two yards out with the Bulldogs holding on to a 17-14 lead. The Bulldogs missed a FG on their first drive trying to extend the lead on their only possession of the third quarter. The Tigers went ahead for the first time in the fourth quarter on another Brown touchdown run for a 21-17 Swainsboro lead. With the momentum and lead on the Tiger side of the field, the Bulldog defense put more points on the board. MJ Williams scooped up a Tiger fumble and took it back 50 yards for a Bulldog touchdown, to put ECI back in the lead 24-21. Starting at their own 20, the Tigers failed to reach midfield and turned the ball over on downs with just over a minute left in the game. The Bulldogs ran out the clock, taking the county battle against the Tigers in a hard fought 24-21 win. Tyler Foreman led the Bulldogs on the ground with 90 yards on 10 carries. Jackson Kennedy passed for 73 yards with Bethea leading the receivers with 55 yards, grabbing two balls.
The Bulldogs host McIntosh Co. on September 6 at Rountree Stadium to begin their eight-game region schedule. Both teams should be rested, having this Friday off.
