Gerald Thomas III | Special to the TimesBrooks County defensive end J'Shawn Baker motions to the sidelines during the Trojan's 44-0 homecoming victory. 

QUITMAN—You can either be the hammer or the nail.

The Brooks County Trojans chose the first option in their 44-0 homecoming and region victory over the Lanier County Bulldogs.

The Trojans pushed it to the limit from the start of the game.

After receiving the ball first, the Trojans called many designed runs for quarterback Ni’tavion Burrus before he scrambled in for  a 10-yard score with 10 minutes left in the first quarter to give his team a 7-0 lead.

Omari Arnold made an electric play on special teams after the ‘Chain Gang’ defense forced a three-and-out.

Arnold fielded a punt before taking off down Lanier’s sideline for a 61-yard touchdown.

Lanier could not get anything going on the following drive.

Following a sack by defensive end J’shawn Baker to put them in a third-and-17 situation, Lanier botched a snap but their quarterback Rashod Brockington picked it up and lobbed it towards the Bulldog’s sideline where it fell into the hands of Trojans cornerback Kamari Blankumsee.

The Trojans scored off the turnover on a 14-yard Arnold rush.

Lanier crossed the 50-yard line for the first time of the evening after Jamal Sanders fumbled after receiving a pass from Burrus before the Bulldogs jumped on it to start on the Trojans’ 41.

They reached the 7-yard line but was stymied after Omari Arnold deflected a pass to the endzone from Brockington to Kish Wright.

Brockington threw his second interception of the night – this time it went to outside linebacker Jeremiah Henderson who turned his body mid stride and returned it for a pick six.

But it was called back block in the back penalties.

Having already scoring 27 unanswered, the Trojans got in two more touchdowns before the half.

Arnold ran in a 10 yarder followed by a two-point conversion.

As time expired, Burrus got the ball to Sanders again. But there was no fumble this time as the receiver scored a shifty 54-yard touchdown to give the Trojans a 42-0 lead at halftime.

“It always feels good to get a win with your guys,” Homecoming King Ni’tavion Burrus said. “We enjoyed every moment. We know we’re not No. 1 anymore so it has hungered us to come back to the top.”

Two points in total were scored in the second half after the mercy rule running clock was put in affect.

Brockington threw his third interception of the game as the Bulldogs lined up on third-and-48 from their own 27.

This time it went to Amar Thomas.

With four minutes left, Joaquinn Dawson sacked Brockington in his own endzone to secure a safety and nab a 44-0 lead.

“I love the way we came out here tonight,” senior middle linebacker Camron Priest said. “That’s the way to pick it up after the lost from Irwin. We’re going to keep getting better every week and bring that hammer.”

The Trojans now are (5-1, 2-1) and will head to Folkston for a 1A Region 2 matchup against Charlton County (3-3, 1-1).

“Sometimes you come out flat when you have high expectations but they came out and did their jobs and had a good time on top of that,” Trojans Head Coach Maurice Freeman said as he sported a Brooks County championship belt after the game. “We’re getting better each week and we can be a force to be reckoned with.”

The Brooks and Charlton game will kick off at 7:30 on Oct. 30.