1ST QUARTER | BIG STORY: WHAT MATTERS
Week 1 gave us our first look. Week 2 gave us something a little better to work with.
Bethesda Academy went into Savannah Christian and won 32-28, a game that was every bit as interesting as we thought it might be. Benedictine had one of the biggest responses of the weekend, bouncing back from that 58-21 loss to Toombs County by beating back-to-back state champion Hebron Christian 48-17.
Bradwell Institute put 65 points on the board. Richmond Hill didn’t need another last-second play this week and rolled past Liberty County 42-7. Calvary Day took care of Jenkins. Windsor Forest moved to 2-0, and South Effingham followed a three-point opening win with a 39-0 shutout.
That’s why the second week of a football season is always interesting. Now there is something to compare. Was Week 1 just a good night? Was that bad night something to worry about? Did a team clean up some things? Did somebody take another step?
We’re still a long way from knowing exactly what these teams will be in November, but we’re starting to see something.
2ND QUARTER | NUMBERS THAT GOT OUR ATTENTION
Jordan Turner, Bethesda — 452 Total Yards, 4 TDs
We talked about Jordan Turner last week, and after what he did Friday night, we’re going to talk about him again.
Turner completed 17 of 33 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns against Savannah Christian, then carried the football 14 times for another 172 yards and a score. That’s 452 total yards and four touchdowns in a four-point win, but the number isn’t the whole story.
Bethesda needed a play late, and Turner connected with Zhyir Witcher for a 31-yard game-winning touchdown. Witcher finished with eight catches for 130 yards and a score. MJ Scott caught four passes for 68 yards and two touchdowns, while Dezrin Davis added five catches for 53 yards. Ka’Mond Young led the Bethesda defense with 10 tackles and a tackle for loss.
Savannah Christian had its chances, too. Caden Godbee threw for 170 yards and two touchdowns. Wesley Dinkins rushed for 75 yards and a score, while Landon Tyson added 38 yards and a touchdown. Aiden Frazier had 10 tackles, Ivyn Richardson had nine, and Kellen Carbone finished with three tackles for loss, a sack and an interception.
When it was over, Bethesda had a 32-28 win in its first regular-season game against a GHSA opponent. That’s a pretty good Friday night.
Jayden Martin, Windsor Forest — 308 Total Yards, 5 TDs
Here’s another quarterback making a second appearance in the Huddle.
Jayden Martin followed his big opening night with 308 total yards and five touchdowns in Windsor Forest’s 31-21 win over Tattnall County. Martin completed 12 of 20 passes for 199 yards and three touchdowns, then ran 12 times for 109 yards and two more scores.
He had some help. Jaimeer Duncan rushed for 97 yards, Dwane Franklin caught five passes for 107 yards and a touchdown, Gavin Johnson had a touchdown reception, and Kamari Duncan had one, too.
Windsor Forest is 2-0, and Martin has been right in the middle of both wins. We’ll get back to the Knights in a minute because their Week 3 game has our attention.
Jah’Barri Felix, Bradwell Institute — 6 Total TDs
Six touchdowns will get your attention, and that’s exactly what Jah’Barri Felix gave Bradwell Friday night.
Felix completed 12 of 15 passes for 225 yards and four touchdowns, then ran for two more as Bradwell Institute beat Wayne County 65-14. Cameron Keeve had himself a night, too, rushing eight times for 100 yards and two touchdowns while also catching a touchdown pass. Tyson Spears added a 53-yard defensive touchdown.
Bradwell led 56-7 at halftime. There are a lot of ways to describe that first half, but we’ll go with this one: The Tigers were ready to play.
Omari Burse, Benedictine - 210 yards passing with 5 TDs, Eron Mallard , Benedictine - 137 yards receiving with 3 TDs & Stanley Smart, Benedictine — 13 carries for 192 yards and 3 TDs - Big Night for the Cadets
Sometimes a number tells the story. Sometimes it’s how a team responds.
Benedictine opened the season with a 58-21 loss to Toombs County. Seven days later, Hebron Christian came to Memorial Stadium. The Lions had won the last two state championships, and the Cadets beat them 48-17.
There were some big numbers behind it.
Omari Burse completed 11 of 15 passes for 210 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions.
Eron Mallard was on the other end of three of those touchdown passes, finishing with four catches for 137 yards and three scores. Mallard also carried the ball four times for 33 yards.
And then there was Stanley Smart. Smart carried 13 times for 192 yards and two touchdowns, averaging nearly 15 yards every time he touched the football.
That’s five touchdown passes from Burse, three touchdown catches from Mallard and 192 yards on the ground from Smart. One week doesn’t erase another one, but football gives you a chance to answer.
Benedictine answered.
Gunner Mobley, Richmond Hill — 4 Total TDs
There was no late drama for Richmond Hill this time. After needing a blocked PAT to survive Effingham County in Week 1, the Wildcats took care of Liberty County 42-7.
Gunner Mobley completed 8 of 12 passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two more. CJ Menzie had 93 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, Eli Grant caught four passes for 51 yards and a score, and Nick Cameron added a 21-yard touchdown reception.
The Richmond Hill defense got into the scoring, too, with De’Vion Smalls-Clark returning a fumble for a touchdown. Jaleal Bernard had five tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack.
A one-point win is equal to a 35-point win in the standings, but this one probably felt more comfortable.
Gabe Ausfeld, Calvary Day — 4 Sacks
We give quarterbacks and running backs plenty of space around here, so let’s give a defensive guy some. Gabe Ausfeld recorded four sacks in Calvary Day’s 30-13 win over Jenkins.
James Mobley IV completed 9 of 15 passes for 145 yards and three touchdowns, while Zay Middleton did the heavy lifting on the ground with 23 carries for 101 yards. Ca’Den Jones added 65 yards on eight carries, and Jalen Hicks contributed both rushing and receiving yards.
Jenkins’ Tasean Rhodes provided one of the biggest plays of the night. He broke a 95-yard touchdown run and finished with 136 rushing yards on 10 carries.
Calvary is 2-0, and four sacks from one guy? Yeah, that gets our attention.
South Effingham — 5 Rushing TDs - Everybody Gets One
Five rushing touchdowns and five different guys scored them. Josh Mims, Khyran White, Danny Murtha, Cade Womack and Ashton Holder all found the end zone on the ground in South Effingham’s 39-0 win over Johnson.
Liam Coburn completed 7 of 14 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown, while Jackson McClure caught six passes for 118 yards and a score.
South Effingham needed a late field goal to beat Screven County 17-14 in Week 1. There was considerably less drama this time. The Mustangs are 2-0 and have allowed just 14 points in two games.
Keep that last part in mind.
Matthew Dillon, Effingham County — 22 of 28, 226 Yards
Not every performance that catches our attention comes in a win.
Matthew Dillon completed 22 of 28 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns in Effingham County’s 25-22 loss to Tift County. Isaiah Brown caught 10 passes for 101 yards, while Jmere Doe-Davis carried 20 times for 71 yards.
The Rebels lost their opener to Richmond Hill by one point. This one was by three. That’s two weeks and two close football games. Effingham is still looking for its first win, but the Rebels haven’t been far away.
HALFTIME | WEEK 2 SCOREBOARD
Thursday, Aug. 27
Appling County 7, New Hampstead 0
Friday, Aug. 28
Richmond Hill 42, Liberty County 7
Bradwell Institute 65, Wayne County 14
Tift County 25, Effingham County 22
South Effingham 39, Johnson 0
Benedictine 48, Hebron Christian 17
Calvary Day 30, Jenkins 13
Windsor Forest 31, Tattnall County 21
Portal 28, Bryan County 14
Bethesda Academy 32, Savannah Christian 28
Pinewood Prep 52, Savannah Country Day 13
First Baptist 53, St. Andrew’s 14
Saturday, Aug. 29
Islands 18, Savannah High 0
Brunswick 63, Groves 0
3RD QUARTER | WHAT DID WE LEARN?
Two games isn’t enough to start handing out trophies, and nobody around here is doing that. But two games can start showing you a few things.
Bethesda can do more than score points. We already knew the Blazers could put up big numbers. What we hadn’t seen this season was Bethesda in a four-quarter game against a Savannah GHSA program. Savannah Christian pushed the Blazers all night, and Bethesda still found the play it needed at the end. That’s different from winning by 30.
Windsor Forest deserves some attention. The Knights needed overtime against Beach in the opener and then went on the road and beat Tattnall County. Jayden Martin has accounted for 621 total yards over those two games based on the Week 1 and Week 2 numbers we have. More importantly, Windsor Forest is 2-0.
Benedictine reminded everybody why one Friday night doesn’t define a season. The Cadets looked nothing like the team that lost to Toombs County. Burse threw five touchdown passes, Mallard caught three of them, and Smart ran for 192 yards as Benedictine beat Hebron Christian 48-17. That doesn’t make Week 1 disappear, but it sure changes the conversation heading into Week 3.
And What About Calvary and Jenkins?
We had Calvary Day, and Jenkins circled going into Friday night. They had been region opponents the last two seasons; Calvary was coming off that 42-point run against Glynn Academy, and Jenkins was looking to answer after its opening loss at Lowndes.
Calvary came away with the 30-13 win, but Jenkins made the Cavaliers work for it. James Mobley IV threw for 145 yards and three touchdowns, while Zay Middleton carried it 23 times for 101 yards. The number that really jumps out on defense belongs to Gabe Ausfeld, who finished with four sacks.
Jenkins had its moment, too. Tasean Rhodes broke loose for a 95-yard touchdown and finished with 136 yards on just 10 carries.
So what did we learn? Calvary is 2-0, and the Cavaliers have already won two very different football games. They had to come from behind against Glynn Academy, then handled a familiar Savannah opponent in Jenkins. That’s a pretty good first two weeks.
For Jenkins, the record says 0-2, but the Warriors have opened with Lowndes and Calvary Day. It doesn’t get much easier than that. Now let’s see what both teams do in Week 3. Calvary gets St. Pius X, while Jenkins heads to 2-0 Richmond Hill.
South Effingham might be worth keeping an eye on, too. The Mustangs won a close one, then won a comfortable one, and the defense has allowed 14 points in two games.
We’re starting to get some answers, and Friday night will give us a few more.
4TH QUARTER | WEEK 3: WHAT’S NEXT?
Okay, now it gets interesting.
We’re two weeks into the season, and Week 3 gives us another pretty good group of games around Savannah. Benedictine gets Camden County at Memorial Stadium. Jenkins heads to Richmond Hill. South Effingham and Windsor Forest meet, with both teams coming off Week 2 wins, while Savannah Christian has to turn around from that four-point loss to Bethesda and head to Glynn Academy.
And there are plenty more.
WEEK #3 SCHEDULE
All games kick off at 7:30 p.m. unless noted.
Sept. 3, Thursday
Groves (0-2) at Beach (0-1) (IS), 7 p.m.
Sept. 4, Friday
Jenkins (0-2) at Richmond Hill (2-0)
Bradwell Institute (2-0) at Valdosta (2-0)
New Hampstead (0-2) at Effingham County (0-2)
South Effingham (2-0) at Windsor Forest (2-0) (SHS)
Camden County (2-0) at Benedictine (1-1) (MS)
Liberty County (0-2) at Johnson (1-1) (GS)
Bryan County (0-2) at Islands (2-0) (IS)
St. Pius X (1-1) at Calvary Day (2-0)
Savannah Christian (1-1) at Glynn Academy (0-2)
Savannah High (0-2) at Appling County (1-0)
Athens Academy (0-2) at Savannah Country Day (0-3)
Academic Magnet (0-1) at St. Andrew's (1-1), 7 p.m.
STADIUM KEY
GS — Groves Stadium
IS — Islands Stadium
MS — Memorial Stadium
PS — Pooler Stadium
SHS — Savannah High Stadium
THREE THAT HAVE THE PSR ATTENTION
South Effingham at Windsor Forest
Let’s start here because something has to give. South Effingham is 2-0 and has allowed only 14 points. Windsor Forest is 2-0, and Jayden Martin is coming off a five-touchdown performance.
One team has been getting it done with defense. The other has a quarterback making plays with his arm and his legs. No need to make this complicated. I want to see what happens when they play each other.
Camden County at Benedictine
Now we’re going to learn a little more about Benedictine. The Cadets went from losing 58-21 to Toombs County to beating Hebron Christian 48-17. That’s quite a seven-day turnaround.
Now Camden County comes to Memorial Stadium. Was the Hebron win the night that got Benedictine going? We’ll find out.
Savannah Christian at Glynn Academy
How does Savannah Christian respond? That’s the question here.
The Raiders didn’t get run off the field against Bethesda. They lost a 32-28 game that came down to the end, and there were plenty of good things in it. But close losses still count as losses.
Now Savannah Christian gets back on the bus and heads to Glynn Academy. You don’t get much time to feel sorry for yourself in football. Friday comes pretty quickly.
And don’t overlook Jenkins at Richmond Hill. The Warriors are 0-2, but Tasean Rhodes just ran for 136 yards against Calvary. Richmond Hill is 2-0 and coming off a 42-7 win. That one could tell us something about both teams.
Bradwell also gets a much different test after scoring 65 points—the Tigers head to Valdosta.
That’s Week 3. More questions, and that’s exactly how we like it.
FINAL WHISTLE | THE PSR TAKE
Week 1 was about first impressions. Week 2 was about what teams did with them.
Benedictine got knocked down and answered. Richmond Hill went from surviving a one-point game to taking care of business. Bethesda faced a different kind of test and found a way to win it. Windsor Forest kept winning, Calvary kept winning, South Effingham pitched a shutout, and Bradwell put 65 on the board.
Now we’re two weeks in. Still early? Absolutely. But that’s the fun part of August football. Every Friday changes something you thought you knew the week before.
Week 3 may confirm a few things. Maybe it turns everything upside down again.
We’ll find out Friday night.
Sources & Editor’s Note
Game results and statistics were compiled from information provided to Prep Sports Report by area coaches and schools, as well as from published reports and available team statistics. The Week 2 stat sheet includes information sourced from the Savannah Morning News, Coastal Courier, Effingham Herald, MaxPreps, Bethesda Academy statistics, Savannah Christian statistics and Prep Sports Report.
Editor’s Note: Statistics can vary between team books and reporting services. Prep Sports Report gives preference to statistics supplied directly by coaches and schools when available.
Photos courtesy of Calvary Day School Athletic Department
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To share scores, story ideas, or corrections, email kdemasi@prepsportsreport.com or text 912.507.9158.
Optim Orthopedics presents Prep Sports Report’s 2026 high school football coverage.
Keeping Savannah-area athletes healthy and ready for gameday all season long.
Team physicians include Dr. Don Aaron (Bryan County), Dr. David Sedory (Benedictine, Bradwell Institute, Liberty County), Dr. David Palmer (Calvary Day, Richmond Hill, South Effingham), and Dr. Thomas Alexander (Savannah Country Day, St. Vincent’s Academy).
