ATLANTA — Clinch County’s ride towards the state championship ended Friday afternoon in the Dome, as the Panthers fell to Emanuel County Institute, 35-14.
In a game full of big plays, it would be the small mistakes that would spell the end for the Panthers. The Bulldogs’ prolific offense was helped by four turnovers and 62 yards of penalties by Clinch.
Bulldogs running back Washaun Ealey, who broke the state rushing touchdown record earlier this year, had another big game for ECI. Ealey rushed for 285 yards and four touchdowns on just 24 carries. He now has 54 touchdowns this season.
The Panthers were able to keep the game close, thanks to great play from quarterback Vintavious Cooper and defensive back Dominique Ellis.
Cooper looked like a man on a mission throughout the whole game. Through the air, he was 12-for-26 with 188 yards and one interception. He also ran the ball nine times for 86 yards.
His stats, though, don’t show how many big plays he made. Cooper converted long third down drives with his feet and made big plays by scrambling out of the pocket and hitting receivers downfield.
Also a standout receiver, Ellis made big plays for the Panthers on the defensive side of the ball. Ellis had three interceptions, all inside the Panthers’ 20-yard line, to stop Bulldog scoring drives.
But it was the mistakes that did in Clinch County. The Panthers had seven dropped passes, lost two fumbles, and made nine crucial penalties.
ECI took the lead early and never let go. The first score of the night came on a 3-yard run by Ealey. But just two plays later, the Panthers answered back with a 37-yard touchdown run by Cooper.
The touchdown was set up by a 45-yard pass from Cooper to Ellis in which Cooper scrambled away from the sack, rolled left, and shovel passed the ball to Ellis 10 yards down the field. The standout junior receiver then finished the play by tacking on 35 yards after the catch.
ECI scored two more times in the first half to take a 21-7 lead. The first was on a 10-yard pass from Michael Robertson to Wes Wammock. The second was again by Ealey. It was his second-shortest scoring run of the game, 47 yards.
The Bulldogs had controlled the first half, but the Panthers were determined to get back in the game.
It took until the end of the third quarter, but the Panthers found the end zone for the second time of the night when Ronnie Hill plunged in from 1 yard out. The score was set up by a blocked punt by Clinch’s Kyle Morris, which was recovered by James Edwards on the 3-yard line.
Clinch had chance after chance to tie the game, with Ellis getting his third interception and Trey Richardson recovering a ECI fumble on the next two Bulldog possessions. But each time, the Panthers fell short.
After Hill’s score, it became the Ealey Show for the Bulldogs. First ECI recovered a fumble to stop a Clinch drive. On the next play, Ealey ran the ball 57 yards for the score.
Clinch’s next drive ended with an interception, and the Bulldogs made them pay again. On first down, Ealey ran 80 yards for his fourth touchdown of the night.
His 54 rushing touchdowns on the year put him 10 above the previous record, set by Buford’s Darius Walker in 2003. ECI will now play Wilcox County for the state championship. Wilcox defeated Athens Academy 32-14 Friday morning.
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ECI ends Clinch’s season, 35-14
Ealey rushes for 285 yards, 4 TD for Bulldogs in victory
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