The Screven County Gamecocks used a 28-point second half to overcome a one-point deficit at the break to the Effingham County Rebels Friday night in Sylvania to win 41-21.
The Gamecock victory over the Rebels was the second win in back-to-back weeks over AAAAA schools. In week one, SCHS defeated Groves 48-0.
SCHS quarterback Akeem Mingle kept the score tight in the first half as he had two rushing touchdowns out of the I-Option formation.
However, it would be the three TDs on the ground by fullback Jeremy Johnson in after intermission that helped SCHS move to 2-0 on on the season.
In the first two games of the season, Johnson has eight touchdowns.
Mingle had 115 yards rushing on eight carries, while Johnson had 25 rushes for 130 yards.
The scoring started quickly for Screven County as Mingle took the first play of the game 59 yards for a score with 11:41 left in the opening quarter.
Effingham would answer with 4:20 left in the first quarter with a 1-yard plunge by Cameron Edwards. The point after would sail wide to keep the score 7-6.
In the second quarter, Screven moved back out in front on Mingle’s 26-yard run, but the extra point was blocked.
Then Effingham scored a touchdown with 47 seconds left in the half and added a two-point conversion on a pass from quarterback Cal Baker.
Effingham then extended its 14-13 halftime lead with a 6-yard touchdown run by Edwards at 4:24 in the third quarter. The extra point would be good, but the rest of the scoring would be Screven.
With 2:34 remaining in the third quarter, SCHS’s Josh Kerson rushed 16 yards for a TD. The extra point tied the contest at 21.
In the fourth quarter, Johnson had rushing scores of 9, 15 and 3 yards. The last two came within 5 seconds of each other after Screven recovered a fumble by Effingham on the kickoff.
Following Johnson’s TDs, two of the three point afters were successful. The other was blocked.
Effingham County finished the night with 184 rushing yards on 38 carries. Screven County had 286 on 41 totes.
The Rebels had 79 yards passing to 25 for Screven.
Effingham had two fumbles and lost one, but did pick off two of Mingle’s passes.