Thomas County Central quarterback Eli Taylor attempts a pass during Friday night's game against Bainbridge. 

THOMASVILLE — It was a messy, pound-the-ball start Friday night after a 30-minute rain delay at Thomas County Stadium.

But once the Homecoming court was called and the rain let up, Thomas County Central’s passing game started clicking, giving the Yellow Jackets (2-1) a 20-10 win over visiting Bainbridge.

Quarterback Eli Taylor, who sat out last week, returned to throw for 120 yards, standing in the midst of some heavy pressure from the Bearcats.

“One thing he’ll do, he’ll stand in there and take the hit,” coach Bill Shaver said. “He got a couple he’d like to have back, he got a couple that should have been caught.”

Stanley Samuel broke down the visiting sideline slightly before halftime and Taylor hit him perfectly, but the ball fell threw Samuel’s hands with Central trailing, 10-3.

The game rocked the Yellow Jackets way late in the third. With time running down, Central faced a fourth-and-9 at Bainbridge’s 19. A penalty by the Bearcats as Central lined up for a field goal made it fourth-and-4, resulting in Shaver putting his offense back on the field.

Following a timeout by Bainbridge, Central’s offense committed its own infraction, putting it right back where it started. Shaver went for it anyway, and Taylor hit Kelias Williams for a 17-yard gain.

Williams took it in himself to make it 13-10 and give the Jackets their first lead.

Nick Patterson ran in his own 17-yarder to seal the deal with 3:22 left in the game.

“(The passing game) gives a little bit different dimension,” Shaver said. “He doesn’t have the legs Adam’s (Choice) got (and he) isn’t going to get all those runs. Maybe that mix can help us down the road, you never know. we’re still going, learning how to do it the right way and our guys, we just grew a little bit tonight. That’s the big thing.”

Central has a short, and odd, week coming up. The second half of its postponed game against Americus-Sumter will kick off at 7 p.m. Thursday from Thomas County Stadium.