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SEASON START RECAP

BY BRUCE BRANUM & RAY VAN COR

The Greenville Standard

 

Football season is officially back in Butler County with the Greenville High School (GHS) Tigers and Georgiana Panthers stepping on to the field for their first regular season games.

Both Greenville and Georgiana traveled for their opening games. The 5A Tigers made their way to Evergreen while the Panthers went to Lanett near the Georgia state line.

Greenville’s game against the 3A Jaguars of Hillcrest Evergreen started with high emotions and they truly never let up through the end of the game.

In the first quarter, an on-field skirmish led to the ejection of two Jaguars and a Tiger player. There would be later skirmishes but no ejections.

Greenville’s defense played a solid game and helped the Tigers win by recording two safeties in the first quarter.

Those safeties plus a touchdown run by Laquan Robinson at the end of the second quarter were enough points to push the Tigers past the Jaguars reach. The two point conversion by Greenville failed and they led 10-0 at half.

The Jaguars would manage to score a touchdown and two-point conversion in the third quarter but the Tigers defense kept their composure and the Hillcrest offense from reaching the endzone again.

Head coach Josh McLendon said he was proud of his team for fighting through the adversity of such an emotional game. He did emphasize that discipline would be a high priority for his players in future practices.

“We have a tough schedule, and I hope this game will serve to teach the players to play hard with discipline for four quarters

The 1-0 Tigers hit the road again this week as they travel to face the 6A Leopards of Mattie T. Blount High School. The 0-1 Leopards lost their first outing to the 4A Wolves of Vigor 22-12.

The first game of the season for the Georgiana Panthers nation and new head coach Berry Bess was a rough one. Coach Bess, in his first outing at the helm, had a battle of the Panthers on his hands.

Our 1A blue and white mid county cats traveled northeast to face the 2A black and gold Panthers of Lanett in a neutral non-conference game. In an almost route, Georgiana fell to a 54 – 7 ending.

Lanett will move on to face the blue and gold Rams of Valley while Georgiana’s Panthers will once again be on the road to New Brockton in another non-conference, non-region game.

Georgiana will square off against the New Brockton 3A Gamecocks who are coming in with a sound 33 – 14 victory over the 2A Cottonwood Bears.

Our Panthers will eventually get into 1A play when the Pleasant Home Eagles come to town Sept. 3.

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