Two weeks ago, the Hephzibah Rebels seemingly had everything going for them.
After an impressive non-region road win against a solid Southeast Bullock squad, and pitching a shutout the following week against Region 4-AAA foe Salem, the Rebels came into a stretch of games against fellow region leadersHarlem and Morgan County with an opportunity to make a major statement toward being region title contenders.
Two weeks later, much of that momentum has been deflated. The latest needle to puncture those region championship hopes being a 35-6 loss at home against Morgan County Friday night.
That setback comes a week after falling 41-20 to Harlem. Those consecutive losses now drop Hephzibah to 5-3 overall and 1-2 in region play setting up what should be a monumental region clash between Harlem and Morgan County on Nov. 3, but also putting the Rebels back in a place where next week’s game against Richmond Academy (3-5, 1-2) will be for third place.
Morgan County put the Rebels on their heels from the beginning, opening the game with a trick play halfback pass that picked up 40 yards. Six plays later, quarterback Talan Fuller found Drew Ainslie all alone in the end zone for a 6-yard touchdown pass to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead early.
Hephzibah coughed up the ball on its next possession while trying to execute a fake punt, and Morgan County recovered at the Rebels’ 35-yard line. Hephzibah’s defense held on that possession. But on Morgan County’s next possession, Dorsey would add more points to the scoreboard with a 10-yard scamper to give the Bulldogs a 14-0 lead in the second quarter.
On the last play of the second quarter, Hephzibah’s Telly Johnson found the end zone on a 4-yard score that cut the Bulldogs’ lead to 14-6 at halftime.
Hephzibah came out aggressively to start the third with Johnson perfectly executing an onside kick that the Rebels recovered. But they couldn’t generate any offense out of it.
That’s when the bottom fell out for Hephzibah.
Morgan County scored on a pair of 1-yard scores early in the third quarter, followed by a third that, at first seemed to be just short of the goal line. Then Morgan County’s Zach Moore ended the scoring with a pick six midway through the fourth quarter.
Next Friday, Morgan County will try to make it six straight wins at Cross Creek, while Hephzibah will look to halt a two-game skid against Richmond Academy. The Musketeers fell to Harlem 35-7 Friday night.
Stay tuned to theaugustapress.com for more coverage and analysis of this week’s high school football action.
