The Briarwood junior varsity Buccaneers' offense was stymied by Edmund Burke Academy's JV team last week in Waynesboro, but it really didn't matter as the JV Bucs scored twice on defense to defeat the JV Spartans 15-8.
"It was the complete opposite of the week before," Coach Kenny Hanes said. "Last week, we pushed them (Brentwood School) up and down the field on offense, but couldn't score, and this week, offensively, we were pretty much stopped cold, and they pushed us up and down the field on offense."
Fortunately, the defense put on a spectacular performance.
"They all played extremely well on defense," Coach Haney said. "Every time they came close, we held tight."
The JV Bucs stopped the JV Spartans three times inside their own 30, twice on downs and once on a fumble recovery by Hunter Gray.
Although most of the JV Spartans were the same size as the JV Bucs, they had three extremely large players who made the difference in their offense. The Spartans' offense managed to score only once - in the second quarter, on a drive the length of the field. They added the two-point conversion for an 8-0 lead.
The JV Spartans held onto their 8-0 lead until midway through the fourth when eighth graders Cody Ewest and Eric Johnson combined for a hit that popped the ball loose from a Spartan back. Without breaking stride, sixth grader Dalton Reese scooped the ball up the first bounce and raced 60 yards for the TD. Ewest went up the middle for the two-point conversion and tied the game at 8-8.
With 0:30 left on the clock, the JV Spartans threw. Eighth grader Matthew McElveen was there to intercept and run it back - untouched - for the score.
"He pretty much just outran them all," Coach Haney said.
Ewest kicked the extra point for a 15-8 lead and the ball game.
Now 1-0-1, the JV Bucs will travel to Gatewood School in Eatonton next Thursday to face the JV Gators at 5:30 p.m.
