A highly anticipated matchup between undefeated Savannah private school rivals did not disappoint a big crowd of fans on Friday, September 23 at Specialty Sports Complex. Calvary Day (4-0, 2-0 region 3-3A) outlasted Savannah Christian to the tune of 34-28 in the back-and-forth region 3-3A showdown.
Ranked No. 3 in Class 3A by the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, Calvary got all it wanted from the Raiders (4-1, 1-1). The game featured three different lead changes and two ties. It was only the third time in 44 all-time meetings in which both sides were undefeated coming into the game (2011, 2014).
The Cavs have now won back-to-back games in the series, but the Raiders still hold the all-time advantage, 26-18.
Savannah Christian rushed for four touchdowns in the game and the visitors jumped out to an early 7-0 lead through one quarter. SCPS opened on a 17-play march to the endzone which was capped by a one-yard QB sneak from Paulus Zittrauer.
Edward “Doopah” Coleman scored on a 10-yard run for Calvary early in the second to tie it at 7-7. Calvary’s Sam Anderson intercepted a pass in the second quarter after SCPS tried a bit of trickery on a pass coming off a running back toss play.
Zittrauer’s second short sneak of the evening gave SCPS a brief 14-7 lead, but Caden Arnold’s return touchdown on the ensuing kickoff knotted things up at 14-14 entering halftime. A senior, Zittrauer now has seven passing touchdowns and six rushing touchdowns through five games.
In the second half, Calvary surged ahead for good with a 34-yard AJ Butts touchdown run and an 18-yard Jake Merklinger pass to Michael Smith. The junior Calvary duo connected again in the fourth from 25 yards out for the tandem’s second touchdown of the evening. The Raiders scored a late third quarter touchdown on Tyler Penrose’s rush and a late fourth quarter touchdown on Kenry Wall’s TD run.
Through four games this year, Merklinger has eight passing touchdowns, Smith has four receiving and Butts has five rushing.
Both teams have home region games against streaking opponents coming up next.
SCPS has a short week to get ready for Long County (4-1, 2-0) on Thursday night at Pooler Stadium and Calvary hosts Johnson (4-1, 2-0) on Friday night. Long County and Johnson have each won four consecutive games.
SCP – 7 - 7 - 7 - 7 – 28
CDS – 0 - 14 - 14 - 6 – 34
HALF: Tied, 14-14.
RECORDS: SCP 4-1, 1-1; CDS 4-0,
NEXT: SCP vs Long County (9/29); CDS vs Johnson (9/30).
JOHNSON 22, LIBERTY COUNTY 21
Johnson stopped Liberty County’s two-point conversion attempt with seconds remaining to win the critical region 3-3A game played at Savannah High School Stadium. The Atomsmashers (4-1, 2-0) have won four straight games overall and two straight within region play.
A long Liberty County touchdown run put SCJ behind 7-0 early in the game, but Samari Dowdy’s 13-yard touchdown run and Malon Perry’s 31-yard field goal gave Johnson a 10-7 lead through one quarter. Dowdy busted loose around the edge for a 74-yard TD run midway through the second to put Johnson ahead 16-7 at halftime and 20 seconds into the third quarter, Dowdy’s third rushing score of the game (and fifth of the season) came from 50 yards out and capped the Johnson scoring.
Dowdy rushed for well over 200 yards in total.
Liberty County (2-3, 0-2) got a short rushing touchdown and a two-point conversion with 27 seconds left in the third quarter to make the score 22-15 heading for the fourth.
The Panthers scored a third rushing touchdown with 11 seconds left in the game to crawl within one point, but their two-point conversion attempt was a QB bootleg that was stuffed at the goal line by SCJ defenders.
SCJ will put its winning streak on the line this Friday at Class 3A No. 3 Calvary on September 30. The two are tied atop the region 3-3A standings with Long County.
LCO – 7 - 0 - 8 - 6 – 21
SCJ – 10 - 6 - 6 - 0 – 22
HALF: SCJ, 16-7.
BENEDICTINE 26, BOLLES SCHOOL 7
JACKSONVILLE – Asher Sigmon made four field goals – one in each quarter – and Benedictine finished its non-region slate with a solid road win over the Bulldogs in Jacksonville.
Junior quarterback Luke Kromenhoek threw touchdown passes to Thomas Blackshear (second quarter) and Ack Edwards (third) to lead the Cadets (3-2). Sigmon’s field goals all came from within 35 yards and his fourth quarter 27-yard boot iced the game for good.
Bolles (2-3) did not score until under nine minutes were left in the game. Ranked No. 7 in Class 4A by the AJC, Benedictine will now begin region 3-4A play after a difficult non-region schedule was built by head coach Danny Britt specifically for his team’s region prep.
The Cadets play at Pooler Stadium on Friday (Sept. 30) versus New Hampstead (4-1, 0-0).
BC – 3 - 10 - 10 - 3 – 26
BS – 0 - 0 - 0 - 7 – 7
RECORDS: BC 3-2; BS 2-3.
ST. ANDREW’S 43, MEMORIAL DAY 0
St. Andrew’s led 30-0 after one quarter and 36-0 at halftime of the non-region rivalry game on the island. The Lions (2-3) cruised to the win after scoring on three rushing touchdowns, one passing touchdown and a safety in the first 12 minutes of play.
Memorial Day (1-3) committed three turnovers in the first quarter.
MD – 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 – 0
SA – 30 - 6 - 7 - 0 – 43
LONG COUNTY 28, SAVANNAH COUNTRY DAY 14
LUDOWICI – After leading 7-6 through one quarter, the Hornets lost a third straight game overall and their second straight within region 3-3A. Country Day (2-3, 0-2) was playing without senior injured running back Michael Grandy in the first half and he played only sparingly in the second half, coming back out with injury concerns after several nice third quarter runs.
Long County (4-1, 2-0 region 3-3A) took a 6-0 lead on the game’s opening drive thanks to a successful fake punt on fourth and nine.
The Hornets (2-3, 0-2) got a 12-yard first quarter passing touchdown from Barton Mixon to KJ James, but two fumbles inside the Long County 5-yard-line proved costly for SCD. Mixon threw his second touchdown of the game – and fifth of the season – on a one-yard toss to fellow sophomore tight end Brooks Kleinpeter.
Trailing 20-14 with 2:13 remaining, SCDS elected for an onside kick attempt but it was no good, and the good field position led to a final Long County rushing score (and two-point conversion).
SCD – 7 - 0 - 0 - 7 – 14
LCO – 6 - 14 - 0 - 8 – 28
EFFINGHAM COUNTY 29, SOUTH EFFINGHAM 3
SPRINGFIELD – Effingham knocked off its biggest rival for a third straight season and opened the region 2-6A slate with a dominating victory. It was the third consecutive victory for Effingham County after beginning the season at 0-2.
The Rebels (3-2, 1-0 region 2-6A) led 15-0 at halftime and outscored the Mustangs (2-2, 0-1) by a tally of 14-3 in the second half.
COFFEE COUNTY 51, RICHMOND HILL 17
DOUGLAS – Class 5A No. 7 Coffee County scored 20 points in the second quarter and 17 more in the fourth to knock off the Wildcats in non-region action.
Richmond Hill (3-3) scored on a 32-yard Blake Williams field goal in the second quarter and two Zion Gillard rushing touchdowns in the third. Gillard carried 24 times for 119 yards. Brian Ruland and Aiden Grant led RHHS on the defensive side with six tackles each.
The Final Score
WEEK 5 SCHEDULE
FRIDAY SEPT. 23
GHSA 7A-Region 1
Coffee Co. 51, Richmond Hill 17
GHSA 3A-Region 3
Beach 28, Groves 0
Calvary Day 34, Savannah Christian 28
Johnson 22, Liberty County 21
Long County 28, Savannah Country Day 14
GHSA 2A-Region 3
Vidalia 36, Windsor Forest 14
SCISA 2A Region I
Bethesda 52, Palmetto Christian 6
GHSA Non-Region
Effingham County 29, South Effingham 3
Wayne County 17, Jenkins 14
Benedictine 26, Bolles School 7
Telfair County 36, Bryan County 20
GHSA/GIAA Non-Region
Bulloch Academy 42, Savannah High 0
GIAA Non-Region
St. Andrew's 43, Memorial Day 0
FOLLOW Travis Jaudon on Twitter/Instagram @JaudonSports. Email him at travisLjaudon@gmail.com.
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!
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