By Ed Hooper
Special to the Times
FOLKSTON— Brooks County’s football season came to an end Friday night, as the Trojans lost 46-36 to Charlton County in the second round of the Class AA state playoffs.
The Trojans finished the season with a 9-3 record.
Charlton County’s offense is dangerous, and Brooks County found that out quickly on Friday. The Indians racked up 197 yards of total offense in the first quarter, along with 22 points. However, the Trojans kept the game close, putting up 133 yards of total offense in the opening quarter, along with 15 points.
“We didn’t do a good job at tackling,” Brooks County head coach Maurice Freeman said. “We gave up some big plays, and we couldn’t overcome it.”
Charlton got the scoring started, driving 65 yards on the opening possession of the game. The Indians converted a two-point conversion to take an early 8-0 lead.
The Trojans answered the Indians’ score. They started their first drive on the Indians’ 35-yard line, and scored in two plays, as Keith Christopher broke a 24-yard touchdown run. The Trojans kicked the extra point, and cut the Indians’ lead to 8-7.
The Indians responded quickly, scoring on their next offensive play, as Charlton quarterback Chris Milton broke a 62-yard run for a touchdown. That was the game’s third score in a span of 50 seconds. The Indians converted another two-point conversion to take a 16-7 lead.
The Trojans fumbled on their next possession, which gave the Indians the ball back on their own 38-yard line. But they were forced to punt the ball after having a 51-yard touchdown pass called back by a holding penalty.
The Trojans answered on their next possession, as Kendrick Christopher dashed into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown run. The Trojans then ran a fake extra point, and holder Dalton Bruce found Keojuan Rose, who was acting like he was tying his shoe near the Trojans’ bench, for a two-point conversion. The conversion cut Charlton’s lead to 16-15.
Rose found the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter to give the Trojans the lead for the first time in the game, 22-16.
The Indians knotted the score at 22-22 when Milton found Ronald Eldell on a 56-yard touchdown pass.
The Indians added a late second quarter touchdown to take a 30-22 lead when Milton found Eldell again for a 24-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-6.
The Indians racked up 342 yards of total offense in the opening half, while the Trojans had 276 yards.
Charlton County caught the Trojans off guard at the start of the second half, rolling the dice with an onside kick. The Indians recovered at the Trojans’ 45-yard line, and started the second half with the ball. Then they drove down the field for a touchdown that made the score 38-22.
Ball control was a big key for the Indians, as they held the Trojans to only five offensive plays in the third quarter, for a total of three yards.
The Trojans had to play the second half without Rose, their quarterback, who left the game at halftime with an ankle injury.
“I didn’t want to take a chance on him,” said Freeman. “He’s just a kid, and he is going to play college ball somewhere. I didn’t want to risk him.”
The Trojans got a score early in the fourth quarter, when running back Keith Christopher broke a 62-yard touchdown run to cut Charlton’s lead to 38-30. The Indians then recovered the onside kick attempt by the Trojans.
The Trojans’ defense temporarily stopped the Indians. But on fourth-and-11, a gutsy call by the Indians turned into a 26-yard pass play that gave Charlton a first down. The Indians scored on the next play, then converted another two-point conversion, which increased their lead to 46-30.
The Trojans refused to go away, and drove down the field with a quick drive. Keith Christopher slashed into the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown run. However, the Trojans failed to convert the two-point conversion attempt, which kept the score at 46-36.
Then Charlton County got the ball, and held it the rest of the game.
The Trojans were led by Keith Christopher, who rushed for 180 yards on 12 carries, and scored three touchdowns in the final game of his storied high school career.
“He’s a very good running back,” Freeman said. “He should get an opportunity to play college ball for somebody.”
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Charlton takes down Brooks, 46-36
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