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South Effingham Rallies to Beat Greenbrier 34-28 in Overtime
Khyran White Rushes for 236 yards as Freshman Liam Coburn Scores Winner in Homecoming Thriller
South Effingham football
Khyran White follows linemen Karter Wilson (50) and Sam Blaine (51) and bursts through the defense for an 81-yard touchdown run. White finished with 236 rushing yards, helping South Effingham rally past Greenbrier 34-28 in overtime. (Mark Lastinger / Effingham Herald)

 GUYTON, Ga. – South Effingham’s resiliency was on display Friday night for a homecoming crowd.

After galloping to an early lead, the Mustangs fell behind, only to do what they do best – win close games.

Freshman Liam Coburn’s 4-yard touchdown run in overtime gave South a thrilling 34-28 victory over Greenbrier.

The win improves South’s record to 3-3 overall, 3-1 in Region 1-5A play. The Mustangs will travel to Brunswick next week for a key matchup against Glynn Academy.

“This team is resilient. I can’t say enough how proud I am,” SEHS coach Loren Purvis said. “They get hit in the face, and they keep coming.”

South Effingham football
Freshman George Helmey (63) clears a hole for quarterback Liam Coburn (12) during South Effingham’s offensive surge vs. Greenbrier. Helmey and fellow freshman Richie Turner stepped up on the line to help the Mustangs rush for 329 yards. (Mark Lastinger / Effingham Herald)

Freshmen Step Up
There was plenty to be proud of. Two freshmen – Richie Turner and George Helmey – filled in on the offensive line, helping South produce 329 rushing yards, including 236 by Khyran White, who had seen limited action the previous week after a first-quarter knee injury.

Coburn, also a freshman, continues to grow as a playmaker. He threw for 72 yards, with three of his five completions resulting in touchdowns – a 5-yarder to Jayden Hair, a 40-yarder to Benja Crofts, and an 11-yarder to Corey Woods.

The TD pass to Woods came after Greenbrier had taken a 21-20 lead in the third quarter.

South Effingham football
Wide receiver Benja Crofts hauls in a 40-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Liam Coburn. Coburn finished the game with 72 passing yards, completing three of five passes for touchdowns as South Effingham’s passing attack helped secure the comeback. (Mark Lastinger / Effingham Herald)

Dramatic Finish
The Wolfpack (1-5, 0-4) tied the game with 24.3 seconds left on a TD pass from Parker Brantley to Beau Polcha. Greenbrier got the ball first in overtime, but Brantley’s fourth-down pass into the end zone slipped off a receiver’s fingertips, setting up South’s winning drive.

The Mustangs moved the ball with three runs by White to the 4-yard line. Then Coburn faked to White, found a crease on the left side, and slid into the end zone to clinch the win.

“It’s amazing. My teammates, my O-line, they gave the blocks I needed. We persevered and ran the ball, and it worked out,” Coburn said.

South Effingham football
South’s Cole McMurry chases down Greenbrier quarterback Parker Brantley. McMurry and the Mustangs’ defense held the Wolfpack in check late, helping set up the game-winning drive in overtime. (Mark Lastinger / Effingham Herald)

Explosive Start
South Effingham, which lost to Greenbrier 56-0 last season, started fast, building a 20-7 lead after its best offensive first quarter in years. The Mustangs needed just 12 plays to gain 222 yards and score three touchdowns.

White sprinted 40 yards on South’s first play and made a leaping 10-yard catch to set up Coburn’s first TD pass, a pitch to Hair, giving the Mustangs a 7-0 lead less than three minutes in. Greenbrier tied it on Brantley’s 48-yard scoring toss to Addison Johnson.

White responded two plays later with an 81-yard TD run. After a defensive stop, Coburn connected with Crofts on a 40-yard touchdown pass with 1.8 seconds left in the quarter.

Greenbrier used its ground attack to control much of the second quarter. Brantley finished a seven-play, 64-yard drive with a 5-yard TD run to make it 20-14 with 24 seconds remaining in the half.

South Effingham football
South freshman lineman Richie Turner (58), who stepped up big all night, opens a lane for running back Danny Murtha (1). (Mark Lastinger / Effingham Herald)

Turning the Tide
The Wolfpack took a 21-20 lead in the third quarter, but Coburn’s TD pass to Woods, followed by a two-point conversion run by Coburn, put the Mustangs back in front 28-21.

South Effingham football
South’s Danny Murtha skies high to break up a pass near the goal line intended for Greenbrier’s Verkaree Guyton, with Semaj Calhoun (17) in coverage. (Mark Lastinger / Effingham Herald)