MEADVILLE — The Franklin County Bulldogs had a first half full of missed opportunities, and the Hazlehurst Indians capitalized on such opportunities in the second half as Franklin County fell to Hazlehurst, 28-12.
“We just didn’t take advantage of the opportunities we had in the first half,” said Franklin County coach Rickey O’Quinn. “We went into halftime up 6-0 when we should have been up 28-0.”
Jimmy Barnes, the Bulldogs’ 6-foot-1, 215-pound senior fullback scored on a 3-yard run in the second quarter to give the Bulldogs a 6-0 lead. Franklin County had several chances to increase the lead in the first half, but two fumbles inside the Hazlehurst 10-yard line and a missed field goal halted three drives alone.
“We have to convert inside the red zone,” O’Quinn. added. “Tonight we didn’t do that, and that’s what cost us.”
Hazlehurst, coached by first-year field general Randal Montgomery tied the contest at 6-6 in the third quarter as junior running back Demetrius Cain scored from 3 yards out.
The Indians (6-1, 2-0) got two touchdowns from junior D’Alex Rockingham next on runs of 52 and 6 yards to pull ahead. The first run came in the third quarter, which broke the Bulldogs spirits.
Rockingham, a 5-foot-8, 160-pounder, finished with a game-high 88 yards on six carries. Hazlehurst led 20-6 with 11:33 to remaining in the game.
Franklin County answered with a 58-yard pass and catch from quarterback Jay Davis to wide receiver Ricky Wilson. The Bulldogs missed the extra point, cutting the score to 20-12.
Seventeen seconds later, the Indians put the contest out of reach as freshmen Dycelious Reese scooped up a loose ball fumble on the kickoff and returned it 71 yards for the game sealing touchdown.
The victory by the Indians gives them the lead in the Region 7-3A division race.
