It’s official. 5 weeks tackled, 5 to go! We’re halfway through the regular season.
Five Friday nights are in the books, and we’re starting to learn a little something about these teams.
Richmond Hill and South Effingham are still perfect. Benedictine got punched early on the road and answered. Effingham County hasn’t allowed a point in two weeks. Jenkins and Savannah Country Day finally found the win column, while Windsor Forest continues to put together a strong start quietly.
That’s what makes the halfway point interesting. We’ve seen enough football to start figuring out who these teams are, but there’s still plenty of time for the story to change.
So, halfway home, what have we learned?
1ST QUARTER | BIG STORY: WHAT MATTERS
Benedictine answers
Benedictine got punched early at Statesboro. The Blue Devils jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the Region 1-5A opener, but the Cadets never let the game get away.
BC answered with 42 straight points and walked out of Statesboro with a 42-21 win. That’s the part that matters. On the road and down two touchdowns, Benedictine settled down and completely changed the football game.
The Cadets are 3-1 overall and 1-0 in region play. Week 5 gave us another look at a team that can take a punch and answer.
South Effingham finds a way.
South Effingham went into halftime trailing Greenbrier 21-8. The Mustangs came back out and didn’t allow another point.
The offense found its rhythm, the defense made the stops it needed, and South rallied for a 28-21 win to remain unbeaten. It wasn’t easy, but this group seems to be getting pretty comfortable with it.
The Mustangs are 4-0 and have won six consecutive one-score games dating back to last season. At some point, you stop calling those close wins luck and start believing this football team knows how to finish.
Richmond Hill keeps rolling.
No late-game drama this week. Richmond Hill took care of Wando 35-7 and moved to 5-0.
The Wildcats have already shown they can win close games. They’ve made big plays on defense and special teams when they’ve needed them. Friday night they showed something else. They can grab control of a football game and keep it.
Richmond Hill has five Friday nights in the books, and the Wildcats haven’t lost one yet.
Country Day and Jenkins finally get one. Sometimes you need that first one.
Savannah Country Day beat Savannah Christian 21-10 after opening the season with five straight losses. Jenkins had been waiting, too, and the Warriors picked homecoming night to break through with a 35-14 win over Evans.
Country Day finally gets to enjoy a win. Jenkins gets one, too, and the Warriors also start region play 1-0.
Two programs walked onto the field Friday night looking for their first win. Both finally got to enjoy one.
Don’t overlook Effingham County and Windsor Forest
Effingham County started the season 0-2. Two weeks later, the Rebels are 2-2 after a 52-0 win over Lakeside-Evans and have posted back-to-back shutouts.
Windsor Forest is quietly putting together a pretty good first half of the season, too. The Knights beat Bryan County 28-14 and moved to 3-1.
At the halfway point, both have our attention.
2ND QUARTER | ROLL CALL BY THE NUMBERS
Now let’s get to the guys who filled up the stat sheet Friday night.
344 PASSING YARDS, 5 TDs — Jah’barri Felix, Bradwell Institute
Felix had a big night through the air as Bradwell put up 54 points against Glynn Academy.
283 TOTAL YARDS, 1 TD — Jayden Martin, Windsor Forest
Martin threw for 148 yards and rushed for another 135 in the Knights’ win over Bryan County.
240 PASSING YARDS, 3 TDs — Omari Burse, Benedictine
The junior quarterback helped the Cadets turn an early 14-0 deficit into a 42-21 region win at Statesboro.
229 TOTAL YARDS, 4 TDs — Eron Mallard, Benedictine
Mallard had seven catches for 172 yards and three touchdowns, then added 57 yards rushing and another score in BC’s comeback win.
208 TOTAL YARDS, 3 TDs — Cameron Keeve, Bradwell Institute
Keeve rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns and added 80 receiving yards and another score.
206 PASSING YARDS, 3 TDs — Gunner Mobley, Richmond Hill
Mobley completed 12 of 15 passes as the Wildcats moved to 5-0.
192 RUSHING YARDS, 3 TDs — Khyran White, South Effingham
White did his biggest work when South needed it most, rushing for 152 yards after halftime in the comeback over Greenbrier.
127 RUSHING YARDS, 1 TD — Thomas Holland, Savannah Country Day
Holland carried 28 times and helped the Hornets pick up their first win of the season.
112 RUSHING YARDS, 1 TD — Stanley Smart Jr., Benedictine
Smart carried 12 times for 112 yards in the 42-21 win over Statesboro.
112 RUSHING YARDS, 3 TDs — Jaylon Elliott, Jenkins
Here’s the number that really jumps out. Elliott did it on only six carries.
101 RECEIVING YARDS, 2 TDs — Nick Cameron, Richmond Hill
Cameron caught seven passes as the Wildcats rolled past Wando.
DEFENSIVE ROLL CALL
16 TACKLES, 1 SACK, 1 FORCED FUMBLE — Malachi Daniels, Windsor Forest
12 TACKLES — Antonio Wolfolk, Windsor Forest
11 TACKLES, 1 TFL — Turner Chase, Savannah Country Day
10 TACKLES — Liam Murphy, Savannah Country Day
ONE MORE NUMBER
517 TOTAL YARDS — Benedictine
The Cadets fell behind 14-0 and then took over. By the end, BC had piled up 517 yards of offense in the 42-21 win at Statesboro.
HALFTIME | WEEK 5 SCOREBOARD
Friday, Sept. 18
CLASS 7A
Richmond Hill 35, Wando, S.C. 7
CLASS 6A
South Effingham 28, Greenbrier 21 *
Bradwell Institute 54, Glynn Academy 43 *
Effingham County 52, Lakeside-Evans 0 *
CLASS 5A
Benedictine 42, Statesboro 21 *
Ware County 68, Groves 6 *
Jenkins 35, Evans 14 *
CLASS 4A
Windsor Forest 28, Bryan County 14
CLASS 3A
Toombs County 76, Beach 7 *
Brantley County 7, Islands 6 *
Pierce County 48, Johnson 6 *
GHSA CLASS 2A VS. GIAA
Savannah Country Day 21, Savannah Christian 10
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Region game
3RD QUARTER | PREP SPORTS REPORT TAKE
Five weeks is enough time to start believing what you’re seeing.
A big opening night is one thing. Doing it week after week is different. By the halfway point, teams have dealt with injuries, road trips, close games, bad quarters, and nights when things didn’t go their way. Now we’re starting to see which teams can handle it all.
The second half of the regular season brings something different. Region games mean more. Mistakes get more expensive. A team that looked good in August has to prove it can still look good as the calendar shifts toward October.
That’s why the halfway point matters. The first five weeks showed us who has our attention.
The next five will show us who can finish. That’s the Prep Sports Report take.
4TH QUARTER | WEEK 6: WHAT’S NEXT?
Half the regular season is behind us, and the games now carry a little more weight. Richmond Hill takes its unbeaten record on the road, South Effingham puts its perfect start on the line in another region game, Benedictine faces an unbeaten Richmond Academy team, and Bradwell visits Effingham County in one that should get plenty of attention.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 25
Note: All games kick off at 7:30 PM unless noted.
Richmond Hill (5-0) at East Coweta (4-1), 7 PM
Savannah Country Day (1-5) at Bethesda Academy (3-0), 7 PM
Augusta Prep (1-4) at St. Andrew’s (1-3), 7 PM
Bradwell Institute (3-1) at Effingham County (2-2) *
South Effingham (4-0) at Grovetown (0-4) *
Benedictine (3-1) at Richmond Academy (4-0) *
Jenkins (1-3) at Groves (0-4) * (GS)
New Hampstead (1-3) at Liberty County (1-3) *
Islands (3-1) at Beach (1-3) * (MS)
Johnson (1-3) at Tattnall County (1-3) *
Bryan County (0-4) at Warren County (2-2)
Rockdale County (3-1) at Calvary Day (3-1)
Claxton (4-1) at Savannah High (0-4) (SHS)
*Region game
FOUR THAT HAVE THE PSR ATTENTION
Bradwell Institute at Effingham County
Here’s one that jumps off the schedule. Bradwell can put points on the board, while Effingham County comes in with back-to-back shutouts.
It’s a region game between two teams coming off impressive Week 5 performances. Something has to give Friday night in Springfield.
Benedictine at Richmond Academy
The road doesn’t get much easier for Benedictine. After winning at previously unbeaten Statesboro, the Cadets head to Augusta to face a Richmond Academy team that comes in 4-0.
It’s another region game and another test away from home. BC answered the first one. Now comes the next one.
Richmond Hill at East Coweta
Richmond Hill is 5-0, and the Wildcats aren’t sneaking up on anybody anymore. East Coweta comes in 4-1 and gives Richmond Hill another good road test before region play begins.
We’ve already seen the Wildcats win several different ways. Week 6 gives us another chance to see what this team looks like away from home against a winning opponent.
Islands at Beach
This is one where the records don’t tell the whole story. Islands is coming off its first loss, a 7-6 game at Brantley County, while Beach is trying to bounce back from a difficult trip to Toombs County.
Now the two Savannah teams meet at Memorial Stadium in a region game. Islands wants to get back on track, while Beach needs something good to happen.
Both teams could use this one.
OPTIM ORTHOPEDICS
Optim Orthopedics presents Prep Sports Report’s 2026 high school football coverage.
Optim Orthopedics supports high school athletics throughout the Savannah area and Coastal Empire, helping local athletes stay healthy, recover from injuries, and get back to doing what they love.
PSR appreciates Optim Orthopedics for supporting our coverage and, more importantly, supporting the athletes, coaches, and programs that make Friday nights special throughout our area.
Optim Orthopedics wants you in the game.
FINAL WHISTLE
Halfway home. That’s where we are.
The first five weeks have given us unbeaten teams, comeback wins, first wins, breakout performances, and a few surprises. We’ve seen enough football to start learning who these teams are, but half a regular season remains to change the story.
Now the region games get bigger, the margin of error gets smaller, and October isn’t far away. We know a whole lot more than we did back in August, but we don’t know everything yet.
That’s what makes the second half worth watching.
Which Savannah-area team has impressed you the most at the halfway point, and who are you watching in the second half?
Let us know. We’ve still got plenty of football left.
SOURCES & EDITOR’S NOTE
Information in this week’s Friday Night Huddle was compiled from area coaches and schools, team-provided statistics, Savannah Morning News reporting, Effingham Herald reporting, Statesboro Herald reporting, MaxPreps and Prep Sports Report’s own coverage and schedules.
Statistics and records are based on information available to Prep Sports Report at the time of publication. If a player, statistic, or performance was missed, coaches are encouraged to send verified information to Prep Sports Report so the athlete can be recognized.
PHOTO CREDIT: Benedicitne's Stanlet Smart Instagram pag.
Follow Prep Sports Report on X @PrepSav and Instagram @savannahsportsreport.
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.
Optim Orthopedics wants you in the game. Keeping Savannah-area athletes healthy and ready for game day 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).
