Unfortunately, the Statesboro Blue Devils end their 2024 football season with a 31-8 loss handed by the Lakeside Panthers on Womack Field Friday night. This was a must-win matchup for the Blue Devils, even though a win would not have solidified a spot in the GHSA AAAAA State Playoffs.
In order to make the playoffs, the Blue Devils had to win against the Panthers, and the Glynn Academy Terrors had to defeat the Evans Knights. The Statesboro Blue Devils were also celebrating Homecoming. This was a rescheduled match up due to Hurricane Helene last month. The atmosphere was electric as the game began under the bright lights, the crowd's roar filling the air with anticipation.
The Blue Devils, eager to make an impression on homecoming night, stunned everyone by electing to start with a daring onside kick. The ball spun across the turf before being expertly recovered by the Panthers at the 46-yard line, just past midfield. With excellent field position, the Panthers quickly advanced down the field. Starting at the 46-yard line, they gained 4 yards on 1st & 10, then 2 more on 2nd & 6, setting up a manageable 3rd & 4 at midfield. A pass to the flats moved them to the 28-yard line in Blue Devil territory, but a holding penalty wiped out their touchdown, pushing them back to 2nd & 13 at the 31-yard line. They pressed on, setting up a critical 3rd & 8 at the 28-yard line.
On 4th & 4 from the 22-yard line, the Panthers called a timeout, but the Blue Devil defense stood firm, forcing a turnover on downs.
Starting at their own 22-yard line, the Blue Devils struggled. A delay of game and a sack of freshman quarterback Beckham Jarrard, left them facing 3rd & 7 at their own 48-yard line. Unable to convert, the Blue Devils had to punt.
The Panthers capitalized on the momentum with a 37-yard punt return by Mikeal Grissom, setting them up at the 16-yard line of the Blue Devils. With 2:18 left, Lakeside scored a touchdown to make it 7-0.
The Devils tried to respond, but Jarrard was sacked again, ending the drive and leaving the Blue Devils trailing as the quarter came to a close.
The second quarter was where the Panthers began to assert their dominance. They pushed the Devils around, forcing them into a position where it was nearly impossible to stop their offense. The Panthers started out the second quarter with a quick 2-minute drive to score their second touchdown of the night, putting them up double figures on the Blue Devils.
After a few strong runs, including an 11-yard rush by senior running back Jaylyn Heath, the Blue Devils set up shop at the 30-yard line of the Panthers. But a 4th & 7 proved to be too much for the Blue Devils to handle. They turned it over on downs, and the Panthers took advantage of the opportunity.
The Panthers would drive down the field again with a brute-force that left Blue Devils helpless to stop them. With 1:40 left in the half, the Panthers kicked a field goal to make it a 17-0 ball game. As the half expired, the Blue Devils tried to salvage something, but an ill-timed interception turned the ball back over to the Panthers, who nearly ran it back for another score as time expired on the clock.
The Devils came out of the locker room hoping for a miracle, but it was more of the same. The Blue Devils offense stalled, and the Panther defense was relentless. The Panthers took over on the Blue Devils 48-yard line after another failed 4th-down conversion by the Devils.
With 6:00 left in the third quarter, the Panthers put the game even further out of reach with a third touchdown. The score was now 24-0, and the Devils were reeling. They had been unable to stop the Panther running game, and their own offense seemed lost in the face of the Panthers' pressure.
The Blue Devils attempted a late comeback in the fourth, but it was short-lived. After forcing a punt, the Devils seemed to gain some momentum when junior wide receiver Gage Newsome returned it deep into Panther territory. However, they couldn’t capitalize, and after a quick defensive stop, the Panthers regained control.
After forcing a turnover of their own, the Blue Devils received the ball back, but penalties soon put Blue Devils back at their own 4-yard line, and the Panthers forced a fumble, recovering it for another touchdown, making the score 31-0.
Despite the setback, the Devils showed some fight. A personal foul penalty on the Panthers gave the Blue Devils a first down, and a sharp pass from Jarrard to sophomore wide receiver Davis Harrison put the Devils on the scoreboard. Heath added a 2-point conversion to make the score 31-8.
Desperate, SHS attempted another onside kick, but the Panthers recovered. A second personal foul penalty gave the Blue Devils another shot, but they failed to convert, sealing their fate.
As the final whistle blew, the Panthers had triumphed, defeating the Blue Devils in an authoritative fashion. For the Blue Devils, this was a game defined by mistakes and missed opportunities. For the Panthers, this was a game containing a juggernaut offense and a dominant defense. SHS had fought valiantly, but ultimately came up short in every facet of the game.
Head coach Matt Dobson knows that his young team struggled in this game, but is proud of his team's progress over the course of the season.
“Just having a young team like this you are going to have ups and downs in a season, but I am most proud of our guys fighting all year — no matter if we win or lose,” Dobson said.
Dobson also mentioned how we are living in an instant gratification society, so every season his team is taking steps to create a winning program which takes time.
With that in mind, the Blue Devils were left to lick their wounds, knowing they had been over matched, but they know they are taking those small steps that are needed in order to one day be a great and successful team to bring back that winning culture Statesboro Football was once known for.
