BRUNSWICK, Ga. — Effingham County had no answer for Brunswick’s balanced and explosive attack Friday night, as the defending region champion Pirates stormed to a 42-14 victory in the region opener for both teams.

Brunswick (3-0) struck quickly, scoring touchdowns on its first four possessions and piling up 532 total yards. The Pirates’ ground game set the tone, led by Nigel Gardner, who darted through the Rebels’ defense for 186 yards and two touchdowns on just 10 carries. Josiah Gibbons added 114 yards and a score, while Heze powered in for two short touchdowns out of the wildcat formation.

Effingham County (1-2) showed some resilience behind running back JR McKenzie, who scored both Rebel touchdowns on runs of 4 and 2 yards. But the Rebels managed just 199 yards of offense against a swarming Brunswick defense.

Quarterback Tucker Perkins, returning from an ankle injury that sidelined him for most of the first two games, completed 8 of 17 passes for 118 yards but was under constant pressure and sacked five times.

The Rebels will look to regroup next week, while Brunswick solidified its spot as the early favorite to repeat as region champions.