Last year, in McCrae, the Toombs County Bulldogs and the Telfair County Trojans were tied at 28 in the second half prior to the Dawgs pulling away to a 49-35 victory. In the rematch, before a big crowd of Dawg fans, the Trojans only needed an extra point to tie the game at 20-all with 1:13 to play in regulation. Toombs County Football Page
The snap to holder slash tough-to-tackle quarterback Ian Blankenship was high, So, the 5-9, 190 pound senior, who squats over 600 pounds, tried to run the ball into the end zone for two-points and a potential win. However, Ashlee Ashley reacted to the situation and stopped Blankenship short of the goal line preserving Toombs County’s 20-19 victory. For the first time since 2007, when TCHS reeled off wins over Southeast Bulloch, Metter and Appling County, the Bulldogs are 3-0.
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“I was right there,” Ashley said. “I saw the quarterback coming around the edge and I was eyes through the thighs and I just went down and hit him. It was a one-in-one tackle and all the other red bullets (his teammates) came on and added on to it. Blankenshp thought he crossed the goal line and Ashley said he got close. “He was probably two inches away. He was very close, but I had to come down and do what I had to do.”
All pictures by J.D. Rogers
Blankenship set up the game-tying or winning situation with a long touchdown pass. He also opened the game with a 20-yard touchdown run to put the Trojans up 7-0 with 9:57 to play in the first quarter.
The Bulldogs moved the ball the first time they had the ball until they got in the red zone . Rig Tinoco salvaged three points with a 27-yard field goal with 4:08 to play in the first quarter cutting the Trojan lead to 7-3.
Telfair’s A.J. Kahrmann also kicked a 27-yard field goal with 8:44 left in the second quarter to give the Trojans a 10-3 advantage.
The running combination of Demetrius Owens and Jeidon Sistrunk sparked a Bulldog touchdown drive late in the first half. Sistrunk ran the ball down to the 1-yard line and then he rammed his way into the end zone. Tinoco’s PAT tied the game at 10 with 91 seconds remaining in the half.
On the kickoff the Bulldogs jarred the ball loose and Tyler Smith scooped up the ball. With four ticks left on the first half clock Tinoco’s 35-yard field goal hooked off to the left meaning both teams were even at half at 10-all.
Telfair regained the lead in the third quarter with another 27-yard field goal by Kahrmann with 5:07 to go and it was 13-10 Trojans.
A Dalton McBride to Jaquail Boyd pass sparked the Bulldog offense late in the third quarter. The senior dove to the Bulldog sideline to make one of the best catches by a Dawg, in Booster Stadium, in years.
Keshawn Morgan finished the drive with a 34-yard yard touchdown run and a big stiff arm helped him travel the final 10-yards to the north end zone. Tinoco’s kick gave TCHS it’s first lead of the game at 17-13 with 47 second to play in the third quarter.
The Bulldogs had a chance to score six in the fourth quarter when they had a first and goal at the Telfair four. However, penalties pushed the ball back to the 36-yard line and Tinoco wound up trying a 44-yard field goal that sailed through the south end zone up rights for three points and a 20-13 Bulldog lead with 1:48 to play in the game.
Game Summary
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Telfair County | 7 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 19 | |||||
| Toombs County | 3 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 20 |
First Quarter
TD 9:57 Telfair County- Ian Blankenship 20-yard touchdown run (A.J. Kahrmann PAT) (7-0)
FG 4:08 Toombs County- Rig Tinoco 27-yards (7-3)
Second Quarter
FG 8:44 Telfair County- Kahrmann 27-yard field goal (10-3)
TD 1:31 Toombs County- Jeidon Sistrunk 1-yard run (Tinoco PAT) (10-10)
Third Quarter
FG 5:07 Telfair County- Kahrmann 27-yard field goal (13-10)
TD :47 Toombs County- Keshawn Morgan 34-yard run (Tinoco PAT) (17-13 Toombs County)
Fourth Quarter
FG 1:48 Toombs County- Tinoco 44-yard field goal (20-13)
TD 1:13 Telfair County- Blankenship 78-yard pass (Blankenshp run failed) (20-19)
Unofficial Statistics
Rushing
Keshawn Morgan- 27 carries for 177-yards (6.6), Long 34-yards and one touchdown
Jeidon Sistrunk- 6 carries for 39-yards (6.5,) Long 16-yards and one touchdown
Demetrius Owens- 4 carries for 28-yards (7.0,) Long 13-yards
Dalton McBride- 5 carries for 1-yard, Long- 10-yards
Passing
Dalton McBride 2-for-4 for 26-yards
Receiving
Jaquail Boyd 1 catch for 17-yards
D.J. Matthews 1 catch for 9-yards
First Field Goal- 8 plays, 60 yards- The Bulldogs moved the ball easily until they got to the red zone. Morgan ran for three first downs on carries of 20, 11 and 10 yards. A Trojan penalty moved the ball to the 10-yard line. The Bulldogs were called for holding after Keshawn had run 8-yards down to the 4. On third down Morgan ran for 2-yards and Tinoco came in and kicked a 27-yard field goal. Morgan ran the ball eight times for 60 yards on the drive.
First Touchdown- 11 plays, 70 yards- On their second possession the Bulldogs overcame two penalties- 10 yards for holding and five for motion. McBride completed his first pass on a 9-yard throw to D.J. Matthews. On fourth down and one Morgan ran for 4-yards. Demetrius Owens replaced Morgan and ran three times, twice for first downs on carries of 12 and 13-yards. Sistrunk entered the game and he ran four straight times for 11, 9, 16 and 1 picking up two first downs and on the final carry scoring a touchdown from a yard out.
Second Touchdown- 6 plays, 67 yards- The drive began with a 5-yard penalty. On third down and 9-yards McBride threw the ball toward the Dawg sideline and Boyd caught it going out of bounds for a 17-yard gain and a first down to the Toombs 47. Morgan ran for 7, 12 for a first down and then 34 for the touchdown.
Second Field Goal- 8 play, 44 yards- The Bulldogs started this drive at their 39 and they were trying to burn the clock late in the fourth quarter and score some points. They stayed away from penalties and picked up two first downs on a 6-yard run by Morgan and a 10-yard keeper by McBride. A third down pass to Boyd was knocked to the ground by a defensive back as the drive stalled at the Telfair 27. Tinoco entered the game and after having missed a 35 and a 37-yard field goal he nailed a 44-yarder.
Other big moments on a September 8th Friday night
