Bruins Spoil TIger Homecoming
On a crisp, cool October night in the Pee Dee, the Friday night lights were shining bright over Wilson High as they welcomed the South Florence Bruins. The South Florence Bruins returned to action Friday night, coming off a shutout region win against Lakewood. The Tigers returned home and were looking for good tidings as they celebrated homecoming and looked to get back in the win column after a crushing 28-13 loss to Lower Richland. The vibes may have been good for Wilson, but when it came time for the game, the Bruins reminded the Tigers that the region still runs through them. The Bruins would play spoiler to homecoming and convincingly win the game by a final score of 35-7, and the relentless Bruin defense even held the Tigers' high-powered offense scoreless through the first half.
The Game
The Bruins took being selected as a homecoming game personally, and they were out to prove a point, as they opened the scoring when Bruin QB Messiah Jackson found his favorite target, WR JayAun Perkins, for a 16-yard touchdown to take the lead 7-0. The Bruins again would find pay dirt before the end of the 1st quarter as RB Cameron James would gash the Tiger defense and sprint 55 yards to take a 14-0 lead in the first. The Bruins' aggressive offense would yet again find the endzone after a drive down to the 2-yard line, where RB Gabe McLaughlin punched it in the endzone to give the Bruins a commanding 21-point lead before halftime. Right before half, the Tigers were driving down the field until the resourceful Bruins’ defense forced Tristen Howard into a mistake as DB Malik Robinson intercepted him to keep the Tigers scoreless before the half. Coming out of the half, however, the Tigers needed to flip the script and turn the momentum in their favor, and they did. Channeling his inner Sean Peyton, coach Brian Wilson shocked the Bruins with an onside kick and recovered it. The Tigers would cash in as Tristen Howard would throw to the endzone and find his man to cut the lead 21-7. The Tiger defense would give the offense a chance to make it only a one-possession lead after the Bruins missed a field goal, but the stifling Bruin Defense did not allow that and forced a punt after the missed field goal. Then the speedster Messiah Jackson found the endzone from 14 yards out to extend the lead 28-7 in the 3rd quarter. In the 4th quarter, trying to mount a comeback, the Bruin Defense yet again forced another turnover as Tristen Howard's pass would wind up in the hands of LB Jewel Washington for Howard’s second interception of the night. After the Wilson interception, the Bruins themselves would cough up the football, and the Tigers would recover in Bruin territory. The Bruin defense would hold up and force a turnover on downs. To put the icing on the cake, the Bruin offense stormed down the field, and who else but QB Messiah Jackson found the endzone to cap off a big win for the Bruins.
MY MVP: Messiah Jackson
Messiah Jackson yet again led the well-oiled machine Bruin offense into a road region win against a good Wilson team. He had a game not only through the air but with his legs as he had multiple touchdowns on the ground and one to Perkins through the air. Jackson has led this team and the offense into battle every week and has been the fearless leader at the helm of the offense for the Bruins, and he showed it again tonight.
What’s next for these teams:
South Florence is on the road again next week in a region matchup against Lower Richland. As for the Tigers, they will look to snap their losing streak against the Darlington Falcons in another crucial region at home next Friday night.
