BRUINS' BIG FIRST HALF LEADS TO A WIN
The South Florence Bruins returned to the gridiron this week on the business trip to the Lowcountry. They readied to face off against the Fort Dorchester Patriots. After a brutal back-and-forth at home against the Trojans, South Florence was coming off their first loss of the season and was eager to bounce back and do it in spectacular Bruin fashion. The Patriots were also looking to get back into the win column after their first loss of the season in a blowout 56-3 loss against Stratford last week. The Bruins showed up and showed out. They not only got the bounce back they needed, but they cemented their place as a multi-time state championship team. They put up an astounding 49 points in the first half alone, and brought a 65-7 win back to Florence.
Photo Credit: Maurice Simmons All Rights Reserved
The game:
The night didn’t start off strong for the Bruins, however. On their first drive, South Florence immediately turned it over to the Patriots on a botched play that resulted in a fumble. However, the Bruin defense knew what to do and kept the Patriots at bay. Fort Dorchester was unable to capitalize on the Bruin’s biggest mistake of the night and failed to convert, resulting in a turnover on downs. As many may know, once the Bruins smell blood, the tide shifts, and the onslaught of scoring begins. The mighty Bruin offense woke up when QB Messiah Jackson found Jay’aun Perkins for the first of many touchdowns of the night. The defense, now settled in, and desperate for more, turned the dial to 11 and never let up. On Fort Dorchester’s second drive, Warnell Prew picked off Patriots' QB Thomas Adamsky and returned it to the house to take a fifteen-nothing lead early in The offense kept going, fueling the inferno, as RB Gabe McLaughlin had a 45-yard run that struck paydirt. South Florence twenty-two, Fort Dorchester zero. The Bruins did take Messiah Jackson out early, and head coach Drew Marlowe handed De’Eric Davis the reins to command the mighty Bruins' offense. Davis scored an 8-yard rushing touchdown to add to the Bruins’ commanding lead. South Florence seemed unstoppable; the Bruins’ suffocating defense prevented the Patriots from moving the ball downfield, and the offense kept going back to the well, putting more points on the board, including a 74-yard scoop and score by Gerkiem Hall to score the last touchdown of the first half. De’eric Davis threw the final TD of the game to WR Tracey Washington to cap off the Bruins' impressive win in dominating fashion. South Florence clearly got in the film room and the weight room, with fierce determination to win tonight. Most would agree that it definitely paid off.
My MVP: Bruins Defense
If there were a “biggest improvement” award, it would have to go to the Bruins’ defense. Last week was a rarity for DC Cannon Jordan, as the Trojans got fifty points past his usually tenacious defense. But tonight, the Bruins seemed impenetrable, as they held Fort Dorchester to just seven points all night. Between Hall’s scoop and score, Prew’s pick six, and a forced safety, the Bruins’ defense not only prevented scoring, but they tacked on an additional 16 points to an eye-popping final score.
What’s Next
This win was much needed for South Florence because next week is the region opener. The Bruins will be back at the Bruins Den to take on Crestwood.
For the Patriots, they will get a bye week to try to find a way to get back in the win column before their next game, which will be against White Knoll at home.
