It started slow for Evans in Friday night’s Region 2-AAAAAA opener at Grovetown. But the Knights’ swarming defense made sure it didn’t end that way.
Evans gave up the first score of the night, but then clamped Grovetown’s offense to its second lowest output of the season as the Knights left with a 27-6 win.
Grovetown’s offense was first to light up the scoreboard as quarterback Amare Clark called his own number on a 3-yard keeper for a touchdown. A missed extra point gave the Warriors a 6-0 lead.
Clark’s play was set up by a 30-yard run by Jaden Howard. The play would prove to be the biggest gainer of the first half for both teams.
Evans had a prime opportunity to answer in the ensuing drive. Grovetown mishandled a punt, which put the Knights’ offense inside the Grovetown 10-yard line. From there, Rashaun King ran it in for what appeared to be about a 10-yard score, but an illegal formation call nixed that touchdown from the board.
It would be Evans’ defense that put the first points on the board for the Knights. It happened when defensive end Jack Herrington burst through the Grovetown offensive line to tackle Howard in the end zone for a safety.
Later, Evans would settle for a 33-yard field goal by Tyler Wallace at the 7:04 mark in the second quarter. That made it a 6-5 ballgame which is where the score held at halftime.
Evans finally broke the scoring drought when EJ Hogan scampered his way in from 15 yards, and along with King’s 2-point conversion run, the Knights took a 13-6 lead with about three minutes left in the third quarter.
Another Evans defensive stop would later set up the Knights’ third score of the night. Senior safety Dontevius Williams made a beautiful diving grab for an interception. A few players later, Brandon Mims scored from three yards out, stretching Evans’ lead to 20-6 with 9 minutes left in regulation.
Mims tacked on another short touchdown run with 4:18 left to provide the final score. It was the fifth straight Evans (2-3, 1-0) victory over its Columbia County rival, and the seventh win in the two teams’ last eight meetings.
Grovetown (2-3, 0-1) will regroup and travel to Brunswick next Friday, while Evans will return home to square off against another in-county rival, Lakeside.
Check back here for more coverage of all of Friday night’s action.
