The Evans Knights made it three consecutive wins to start the season with a 22-20 victory over previously unbeaten Harlem on Friday night in a hard-fought high school football game.
The Knights (3-0) were led by running back Joseph Hampton, who had 203 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns. He outshone an outstanding night by Bulldogs’ running back Jason Williams, who had 139 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown.
After building a 15-6 halftime lead, Evans watched Harlem cut the lead to 15-13 on a Ryan Newman 7-yard pass to Jon-Jon Howard. Brett Sterner added the PAT kick for the Bulldogs (2-1).
Hampton had an 81-yard touchdown run with 11:45 to go in the game. Exchange student Fabian Klawa added the PAT kick for a 22-13 Evans lead.
The Bulldogs did not give up and cut the lead to the final margin of two points on a 26-yard pass from Newman to Sterner, who added the PAT kick for the two-point difference. That TD came with 6:10 left in the game.
Harlem had a chance to take a late lead, but Sterner missed a 35-yard field goal attempt wide right. Then Evans ran out the clock, helped by an encroachment call against Harlem that gave the Knights a first down and the Bulldogs had no more timeouts.
In the opening half, Evans scored first on an 80-yard run by Hampton on a trap play up the middle. The PAT kicked failed, and the Knights led 6-0 with 8:57 left in the first quarter.
Hampton’s touchdown came just one play after the Bulldogs’ Jason Williams had run 17 yards toward the Evans goal line, but he fumbled just before going in to score. The Knights knocked the ball away from Williams from behind.
The Bulldogs (2-1) countered Hampton’s long touchdown with an 18-play, 98-yard drive that was capped by a 21-yard Williams touchdown run. The Knights blocked the extra point for a 6-6 tie early in the second quarter.
Evans quarterback Kaleb Jackson then drove Evans down the field and found Jourdainn Spann for a 12-yard touchdown pass with 6:29 left in the half. Again, the PAT kick failed for a 12-6 Knights’ lead.
Evans closed out the first-half with a 40-yard field goal by Klawa with just four seconds left on the clock.
Harlem, which last beat Evans in 2005, was much closer than the 35-0 loss at Evans last year.
Evans hosts the Academy of Richmond County next Friday, when Harlem has the week off. The Bulldogs’ next contest is Sept. 17, when they host Lincoln County.
David & Viraj Bulla are sports contributors for The Augusta Press. Reach David at DBULLA@augusta.edu
