SPRINGFIELD, Ga. — A death by paper cuts is still a death, Effingham County football coach John Ford pointed out Friday night.

Grovetown had a good plan, methodically controlling the clock and the ball while surprisingly keeping pace with the region-leading Rebels for most of the first half.

But the Rebels stopped the bleeding and used a pair of big plays to begin the demise of the upset-minded Warriors.

Trayvis Hunter caught a 43-yard touchdown pass on the final play of the first half, and Jernard Albright returned the second-half kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown as Effingham County came alive for a 42-21 win at The Griff.

The Rebels (6-2, 5-0 Region 1-6A) won their sixth straight game and now need just one win in their final two games to capture their second region championship in four years.

“(Grovetown) was trying to play slow, and we had some explosives. It was a weird first half,” Ford said. “Trayvis had two big touchdown catches, and they were big for us.”

Warriors control the first half

Grovetown (2-6, 2-3 Region 1-6A) has struggled in its first season back in Region 1 after spending the past two years playing in a higher classification.

Ford said early-season game film didn't help the Rebels prepare for the Warriors, who had changed schemes and were running a Wing-T offense.

Effingham County had a few freshmen filling in on defense and a freshman running back serving as a backup. Grovetown's running attack pounded out 196 yards in the first half, including a 13-minute, 22-play, 69-yard drive that tied the game at 21 on Miles Dauley's 1-yard run with less than a minute remaining.

The Rebels, who didn't run a play in the second quarter until the final minute, needed just four plays to cover 73 yards in 58 seconds, culminating in Hunter's 43-yard touchdown catch as time expired.

“Basically, I was just trying to find the holes, find ways to get open. That really was all it was,” Hunter said. His brother, Travis Hunter, was on the sidelines.

Trayvis Hunter also caught a 60-yard touchdown pass in a wild first quarter that ended with Effingham County leading 21-14.

Hunter finished with three catches for 111 yards.

Big plays turn the tide

Albright's 90-yard kickoff return to open the second half gave the Rebels a lead they would not relinquish and shifted the momentum firmly in their favor.

The defense also tightened up, holding Grovetown scoreless and limiting the Warriors to just 56 yards in the second half.

“Grovetown just put in the Wing-T. They did a good job scheming us,” Ford said. “Once (the defense) got settled and saw it, the fit was a lot cleaner.”

Freshmen make key contributions

Freshman running back Bradford Joyner, who transferred from Savannah Christian before the season, had just six carries coming into the game. He delivered a key 75-yard touchdown run in the first quarter to tie the game at 14.

Joyner saw additional playing time because running back and safety Jmere Doe-Davis was limited while recovering from bruises.

Freshman Marcus White filled in at safety, while another freshman, Frank King, saw time at linebacker.

Quarterback Matthew Dillon completed 8 of 10 passes for 182 yards and three touchdowns.

Jordan Mydell scored Effingham County's first touchdown on a 3-yard run to tie the game at 7. Isaiah Brown added an 8-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter as the Rebels pulled away.