WILL HART/Contributing Writer
willhart43088@gmail.com

COURTLAND
The Southampton High School Indians had many opportunities come up short Friday night as they dropped to 0-5 on the season following a 21-14 heartbreaking loss to the Brunswick High School Bulldogs in a VHSL out-of-division TriRivers district match.

With the win, the Bulldogs improved to 2-3 on the season. Quarterback Darren Owens led the Bulldogs on touchdown runs of 63 yards, 37 yards and 29 yards. Running back Coby Williams had two 6-yard touchdown runs to lead the Indians. The Indians had multiple other opportunities to get in the endzone but came up short.

The Bulldogs had the first bite when Owens scored on a 63 yard touchdown run with 9:01 left in the first quarter. Owens then kicked the extra point through the uprights and made it 7-0. The Indians then struck back on a 6 yard touchdown run by Williams with 2:29 left in the first quarter. The failed fake kick kept the Bulldogs on top 7-6.

The Bulldogs then added to their lead on a 37-yard touchdown run by Owens with 4:47 left in the first half. The extra point attempt by Owens went wide right and kept the score at 13-6 in favor of the Bulldogs. The Indians then started their next drive from their own 36-yard line and were able to march the ball all the way down to the Bulldogs 2-yard line before time ran out in the first half and the Indians were trailing 13-6 at the break.

The Indians then took their first and only lead of the ball game on another 6 yard touchdown run by Williams with 3:36 left in the third quarter. The two point conversion was run in by quarterback Kavonta Johnson and it put the Indians up 14-13. The Bulldogs took their final bite out of the Indians on a 29-yard touchdown run by Owens with 1:09 left in the third quarter. Owens then ran in the two-point conversion to put the Bulldogs up 21-14.

The Indians had a few opportunities to get some more points on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter but came up short. At the final whistle the Bulldogs came away with the 21-14 win.

The player of the game for the Indians was Williams who led the run game on 38 carries for 154 yards and 2 touchdown runs. Johnson was 2-7 passing with 46 yards and had 1 interception. The player of the game for the Bulldogs was Owens who led the run game on 10 carries for 197 yards and 3 touchdown runs. Owens also went 2-7 passing with 28 yards.

The two teams were pretty even as far as the team stats goes. The Bulldogs had 12 penalties for 90 yards, while the Indians had 9 penalties for 45 yards. Each team had one turnover. The Bulldogs were able to outgain the Indians 311 yards to 257 yards.

The Indians will try to put one in the win column next week when they travel to Emporia to face the Greensville High School Eagles. The Bulldogs host the Franklin High School Broncos next week.