Savannah Christian’s dominating stretch of football continued on Friday, November 4 at Pooler Stadium. The Raiders beat Liberty County by a score of 40-6 and the win earned them the region 3-3A two-seed for the upcoming Class 3A state playoffs beginning next week. The Panthers received the region’s three-seed because of the loss, and they’ll play on the road for the duration of their playoff run.
Baker Woodward’s Savannah Christian team has now won five straight games and his Raiders finished the regular season with an incredible +344 scoring margin. Through 10 regular season games, the Raiders are scoring 45 points per game and allowing just 10.6. They rank first or second in both categories across all of Class 3A. The only loss of the season came to No. 2 Calvary Day.
SCPS (9-1, 6-1 region 3-3A) received first on Friday night and the Raider offense drove down the field methodically before facing a fourth-and-goal from the Liberty County 1. On the 14th play of the game’s opening drive, the Panther defense stuffed the Raiders and took over on its own 1 to begin their night on offense. A poor snap on third down from the 2 forced LC quarterback Carlos Keverene Singleton to drop to one knee to recover it in his own endzone, and that gave SCPS an early 2-0 lead.
A 30-yard Ethan Byrd field goal later in the first pushed the SCPS lead to 5-0 at the end of one stanza. It was Byrd’s second field goal of the year. The junior did miss an extra point later in the game, but he has still made 53 of his 55 PAT attempts.
Liberty County (6-4, 4-3) did not throw a pass until roughly nine minutes remained in the second quarter. The Panthers used a strong running game paced by senior running back Paul Brown to take a 6-5 lead early in the second quarter. Singleton’s one-yard QB sneak finished off the Liberty scoring drive, but Elijah Griffin’s blocked PAT kept it a one-point Panther lead.
The Raiders weren’t done scoring. Far from it.
Zo Smalls gave the Raiders the lead once again on his 11-yard run coming with 1:28 left in the first half. Senior quarterback Paulus Zittrauer tossed a beautiful fade pass to David Bucey on the ensuing two-point attempt and the Raiders led 13-6. They never trailed again.
On the following kickoff, a Liberty fumble was recovered at the LC 23 by Austin Saylor to give his offense great field position. Tyler Penrose scored on a five-yard counter-run play a few plays later and the home team held a 20-6 lead at halftime.
Smalls had another great game on Friday. The sophomore tallied four rushing touchdowns (in the first half) last week against Groves and he followed that up by running for 164 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries against the Panthers. He’s up to 17 rushing touchdowns and 1,070 yards on 140 carries this season. His was one of four running touchdowns in the game for the Raiders.
Along with Smalls and Penrose, Zittrauer (5 yard TD) and Jayden Hester (1 yard) also added one rushing touchdown each. On senior night, Zittrauer rushed for 43 yards and the score on seven carries while throwing for 111 yards and a touchdown on 7-of-14 passing. His touchdown pass was a 34-yarder to Bucey, who had four catches for 84 yards.
Defensively for SCPS, Hester had an interception and Griffin had a blocked punt to go along with his blocked PAT. Griffin also added two sacks and a forced fumble. Liberty’s best weapon coming in, Singleton entered the game with 1,761 passing yards (195.6 per game), but the Raiders held him to just 61 on 9-of-15 passing.
Savannah Christian will host Hephzibah, the three-seed from region 4-3A, on Saturday, November 12 at Pooler Stadium. Game time is still to be determined.
LIB – 00 - 06 - 00 - 00 – 06
SCP – 05 - 15 - 13 - 07 – 40
HALF: SCP, 20-6.
RECORDS: LIB 6-4, 4-3 region 3-3A; SCP 9-1, 6-1 region 3-3A.
NEXT: LIB at Morgan County (3A first round); SCP vs. Hephzibah (3A first round, 11/12).
The Final Scores Week 12
WEEK 12 SCHEDULE
NOV. 3 (Thursday)
GHSA 4A Region 3
Benedictine 45, New Hampstead 6
GIAA A Region 2
Robert Toombs 43, Memorial Day 6
NOV. 4 (Friday)
GHSA 7A Region 1
Colquitt County 41, Richmond Hill 14
GHSA 6A Region 2
Brunswick 30, Effingham County 27
Evans 37, South Effingham 24
GHSA 5A Region 1
Statesboro at Jenkins (Memorial) cancelled
GHSA 3A Region 3
Calvary Day 49, at Beach 3
Savannah Country Day 62, Groves 14
Long County 38, Johnson 14
Savannah Christian 40, Liberty County 6
GHSA 1A Region 3 DI
Bryan County 40, Claxton 19
GIAA AAAA/AAA Division
Frederica Academy 42, St. Andrew’s 7
SCISA Playoffs
Bethesda 46, Spartanburg Christian Academy 14
FOLLOW Travis Jaudon on Twitter/Instagram @JaudonSports. Email him at travisLjaudon@gmail.com.
PHOTO CREDIT: Katherine Sandoz
Optim Orthopedics supports Benedictine Military School, Calvary Day School, Richmond Hill High School, Savannah Country Day, South Effingham High School, and St. Vincent's athletics. Benedictine Military School's team doctor is Dr. David Sedory. The team doctor for Calvary Day School, South Effingham, and Richmond Hill is Dr. David Palmer. Savannah Country Day and St. Vincent's team doctor is Dr. Thomas Alexander. Remember, Optim Orthopedics gets you back into the game
