A solid second-quarter effort by Lamar County helped it defeat Putnam County 24-3 this past week.
The War Eagles (4-5, 2-2 Class A Division I - Region 4) held a 3-0 advantage heading into the second period before the Trojans (7-1, 4-0) scored 17 unanswered points, a lead they never gave up.
Putnam County coach Joel Harvin felt his team didn’t play well on special teams, leading to the loss.
“This was going to be one of those games where special teams and field positions were important,” Harvin said. “Field position had a lot to do with it all night, and they beat us on special teams. We didn’t do a good job of catching the kickoff returns and giving ourselves a good starting field position. It turned into one of those games where the team with the best field position would win.”
The War Eagles got a stop on the first possession and drove down the field easily on the next drive. Senior tailback Rashod Daniel helped move the chains with a few long runs, but the offense stalled out at the Lamar County three-yard line, and Alex Jimenez nailed a short field goal.
Putnam held a 3-0 lead until the 5:59 mark of the second quarter as Qua Hughley put the Trojans in front with a short rushing touchdown. The senior scored from a yard out to cap off the drive.
Lamar County extended its lead a few minutes later as running back JahNizae Few scored on a 31-yard rush. The senior broke several tackles and ran through an open gap to reach the end zone.
Putnam County’s offense tried to move the ball throughout the first half and game, but Lamar County made several key stops. The Trojans were also constantly in the backfield, totaling four sacks.
Harvin said Lamar County’s defense played well, which made it hard for his offense to move the ball.
“We just struggled a lot offensively. We couldn’t move the ball, couldn’t sustain a drive, and weren’t able to stick it in the end zone,” Harvin said. “We struggled a lot, but hats off to Lamar County.”
Lamar quarterback Kaden Carter added a 43-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter to ice the game. The dual-threat senior broke a few tackles as he extended the Trojans’ lead to three scores.
With the loss, Putnam County fell to 4-5 overall and 2-2 in the region. The War Eagles will finish its regular season at rival Jasper County this Friday. The Hurricanes are 6-1 overall and 3-0 in the region.
Putnam County, Jasper County, and Social Circle are fighting for second place in the region standings behind Lamar County. Regardless, all three teams are guaranteed a spot in the state playoffs.
Harvin’s message to his team was simple: treat this Friday like a playoff game.
“We’re in a unique spot right now. If we can handle business on Friday and win by a certain amount of points, we can still be the second seed in the region, regardless of how we’ve done,” he explained. “We still control our outcome, and if we can host a first-round playoff game, it’s up to us.”
Jasper County, coached by Ashley Henderson, presents a tough challenge for the War Eagles. Jasper is on a six-game winning streak heading into Friday’s matchup. The Hurricanes love to run the football, led by leading rusher Jalen Stewart and are dominant on the defensive side of the ball.
Harvin and Henderson are very familiar with each other. The former Early County head coach anticipates a battle with Henderson, who was previously at powerhouse Thomas County Central.
“Coach Henderson has done a good job. We go back. I coached against him in South Georgia for a couple of years,” Harvin said. “He’s done a great job over there with that program of getting kids out to play, finding athletes, and putting them in good spots. They’re dangerous on offense.
“They’ve got some guys who can roll. And defensively, they’re fundamentally sound,” Harvin added. “They make tackles where they have to. They keep the ball before them and won’t give up the big play. They get to the ball, so he’s done a good job, and we expect a ball game on Friday.”
Putnam County and Jasper County will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Hurricane Field.