THOMASVILLE —
Thomasville fumbled away a chance Friday night to beat Thomas County Central for a second straight season.
The Bulldogs (1-1) laid the ball on the ground eight times, lost four, all in the second half, and the Yellow Jackets (1-0) rallied to a 20-17 victory at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
“We weren’t ready in all facets of the game,” Thomasville coach Richie Marsh said. “We missed on too many opportunities, starting with me. If we would have been perfect on our part, the outcome would have been different.”
Behind 134 rushing yards from Jeffery Dyson, Thomasville led 17-13 at halftime. The Bulldogs could not move the ball in the second half, however. Thomasville had six possessions after intermission with four ending in lost fumbles. The Bulldogs also had a punt partially blocked.
“Our kids just decided at halftime they were going to play harder,” Central defensive coordinator Cliff Heard said, “and they did. We made a few adjustments but the kids were the secret. They weren’t going to get beat by Thomasville again.
“Our offense, when they got a chance, they scored.”
Thomasville won 13-9 last year.
Central mustered just enough offense to pull out the victory. The Yellow Jackets had the ball inside Bulldogs territory on four of five second-half possessions but managed just one touchdown. That score came on a 22-yard jaunt by Curtis Brooks that gave the Yellow Jackets the lead for good.
“We finally found a little bit of crease in there to get a touchdown and get the lead,” Central coach Bill Shaver said.
Led by Eric Dodson’s 91 rushing yards, the Yellow Jackets finished with 226 yards on the ground.
The game went back and forth with big plays highlighting the first half. Central’s Adam Choice opened the game with a 62-yard kickoff return. Dodson followed with a 29 yard touchdown run that gave the Yellow Jackets a 7-0 lead 19 seconds into the game.
Thomasville’s first score came later in the first quarter following a missed fourth-down conversion by Central at its own 26. Two plays later, Quintez Spear hooked up with Tommie Samuel for a 24 yard score.
Brooks tallied the Yellow Jackets’ second score in the second quarter. He took a handoff from Dodson and sprinted down the middle of the field for a 41 yard jaunt.
Dyson torched the Yellow Jackets in the second quarter. On a second-and-8 from the Bulldogs’ 32, he darted his way through the Yellow Jackets’ defense for a 68-yard score. Dyson later added a 44-yard run that set up a Thomasville field goal right before halftime.
“He’s a special talent,” Shaver said. “You can’t give him a crease. He got that crease and he was gone.”
Dyson finished with 163 yards rushing.
Local Sports
Related Photos
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Thomas County Central's Greg Wolf (45) closes in on Thomasville's Jeffery Dyson (2) during Friday night's game at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Hubby Brooks/Special to the Times-Enterprise
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Thomasville quarterback Quintez Spear runs down the line as Thomas County Central's Damien Williams (31) chases from behind. Hubby Brooks/Special to the Times-Enterprise
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Thomas County Central’s Ray Drew (99) is wrapped up by Thomasville’s Jarius Mitchell (60) after recovering one of the Bulldogs’ eight fumbles. Hubby Brooks/Special to the Times-Enterprise
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Thomasville wide receiver Tommie Samuel goes up for a reception as Thomas County Central’s Malcolm Franklin (2) makes the tackle. Hubby Brooks/Special to the Times-Enterprise
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