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Bulldogs capture Region 3-A title
After a scoreless first quarter, SCD got on the board first late in the second on a 41-yard touchdown run by senior running back John Moesch. The score gave the Hornets a 7-0 lead with 2:02 remaining in the first half. The SCD lead would prove to be a short one when ECI's Washaun Ealey returned the ensuing kickoff 71 yards for a Bulldog touchdown and a 7-7 tie. The teams traded possessions and went to the half deadlocked. The high powered ECI ground game was held to just 57 yards in the opening half while the Hornets more than doubled that output with 119 yards rushing. SCD was led by Moesch who finished the night with 181 yards rushing on 29 carries. "Quick and shifty" were the words that head coach Milan Turner used to describe Moesch. The Bulldog team that came back from the locker room to play the second half didn't bear much resemblance to the team that couldn't get it going offensively in the first half. The Bulldogs were visibly fired up and seemed motivated to put the first half behind them and impose their will upon the Hornets. ECI, riding the legs of Ealey, moved down the field on a methodical eight play, 50-yard drive that culminated with a touchdown. Ealey carried the ball all eight plays and scored on a 1-yard run. The Dogs missed the PAT and took a 13-7 lead. "We came out in the second half and turned up the heat," said Turner. Eight plays later, SCD answered with a 32-yard Patrick Blackburne field goal that cut the ECI lead to 13-10. Three minutes later, it was Ealey again finding pay dirt with a 17- yard touchdown run that gave the Bulldogs a 20-10 lead to close out the third quarter. Ealey opened the scoring in the fourth with his fourth TD of the night on a 2-yard run that pushed ECI's lead to 27-10. The Hornets then made it 27- 17 when Moesch ran it in from one yard out to tally his second touchdown of the night. ECI then capped the scoring when Ealey picked up the ensuing Hornet onside kick and ran it 50 yards for his fifth touchdown and a 33-17 Bulldog lead. Ealey's five touchdowns give him a whopping 40 on the year. The GHSA state record for touchdowns in a season is 46, set by Buford's Darius Walker in 2003. Ealey finished the night with 166 yards on 24 carries and added 122 yards in kickoff returns. The win pushed ECI's record to 10-0 and increased their regular season winning streak to 23 with the last loss coming at the hands of Portal in 2005. "I'm excited for our kids, our school and our community," Turner said. "To win back-to-back region championships is special. The coaches and players worked hard all year, it was one of the goals we set before the season started." Turner, his staff and players don't want it to end there. After a very short celebration, the #1 ranked Bulldogs turned their attention to the Seminole County Indians, who will travel some 250 miles from Donalsonville to Twin City to play ECI Friday night in the opening round of the state playoffs. The Indians beat Calhoun County 34-0 Friday night to grab the number four seed in Region 1-A. Seminole, however, is not your typical fourth seeded team. The Indians were forced to forfeit two of their region wins due to using an ineligible player. The two losses slid Seminole from a two-seed to a four-seed. The Indians entered the 2007 season as the #1ranked team in one poll and spent most of the season ranked inside the top 10. After the heartbreak the Bulldogs suffered at the hands of first round opponent Hawkinsville last year, don't expect them to take Seminole lightly. "It's a brand new season," Turner said. "Every team is equal and any team can beat you. We just have to be well prepared, have a good week of practice and play hard every play for 48 minutes Friday night." Some key players to watch from the Seminoles are Bacarri Rambo and Tavius Williams. Rambo, who has verbally committed to play for Mark Richt and the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens next year, plays safety on defense and quarterback on offense. Williams is a wideout and a defensive back. Perhaps, the Indians' greatest attribute is their overall team speed. "They have great size, great athleticism, they are well coached and very explosive," Turner commented. "They can hurt your feelings on any play." The game will be at Rountree Stadium in Twin City at 7:30 Friday night.
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