Ed Hooper
By Ed Hooper
Special to the Times
QUITMAN — Heading into Friday, the Brooks County Trojans (3-1, 0-1) had not trailed in any of their three games this season. That changed when the Thomasville Bulldogs (2-2, 1-0) took the lead at the end of the first quarter on Friday night at Veterans Stadium, thanks to a nine yard touchdown run by Charles Hayes.
The Bulldogs never surrendered the lead and won 21-6 in a game which they made several defensive stands.
For the Trojans, the loss is the first of the season for a team that had high hopes of an undefeated season after being eliminated from the state playoffs in the semifinal round last season.
After the game, Trojans head coach Maurice Freeman told his team that the season was not over and that they gave the game away to the Bulldogs.
“When you make mistakes like not tackling your opponent, starts to stand in the end zone and when you turn over the ball, you don’t stand in the end zone,” Freeman said. “Point blank, the loss was our fault.”
Freeman did give credit to the Bulldogs, saying that he never underestimated the team and he had the utmost respect for them. Freeman said that this game was high school football at its finest.
The Trojans got on the scoreboard first when they caught the Bulldogs off guard on the opening kickoff when they attempted an onside kick which they recovered. The Trojans capitalized on a 35-yard field and took an early 6-0 lead.
The Bulldogs got onto the scoreboard late in the first quarter when quarterback Charles Hayes ran into the end zone from nine yards out.
The Bulldogs added another touchdown late in the first half when Hayes found Fredderick Holten in the corner of the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown pass which gave Thomasville a 14-6 lead.
Throughout most of the second half, the defenses for both teams dominated the game. Neither team got close to the end zone in the second half until the final minutes of the fourth quarter when Thomasville missed a 30-yard field goal which would have put the game out of reach for Brooks County.
Brooks County had a final opportunity to drive down the field and tie up the game inside three minutes to play. However, Trojans’ quarterback Keojuan Rose was intercepted for the second time on the night which resulted in a Thomasville touchdown.
Rose was intercepted again by the Bulldogs which secured the win for Thomasville.
The Trojans will look to rebound next Friday when they continue their region schedule by Traveling to Mitchell County.
