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Rebels slam Mustangs in stadium with new name
Bob Griffith
Former Effingham County coach Bob Griffith flips the coin before Friday's game at the stadium that bears his name. The coin was specially made for the occasion. It featured the Effingham County logo on one side and Griffith's face on the other. - photo by Mark Lastinger/staff

SPRINGFIELD -- Junior Jayden Evans ran for 128 yards and two touchdowns to lead Effingham County to a 29-3 victory over visiting cross-county rival South Effingham on Friday night.

Before the game, the Rebels honored their former coach Bob Griffith by naming the stadium in his name. The facility will now be called Rebel Field at Bob Griffith Stadium.

ECHS (3-2, 1-0 Region 2-AAAAAA) pulled away early by scoring on its first two possessions. Keysean McCarr scored on the first touchdown on a 1-yard run and Evans had all 65 rushing yards and scored on a 2-yard run to complete a 7-play march on the next possession.

Sophomore Damion Gordon added a 48-yard TD run in the third quarter and Evans had a 5-yard TD about five minutes later.

Jonah Strickland kicked three PATs and Nate Hayes ran for a two-point conversion after a bad snap following the first touchdown.

SEHS (2-2, 0-1) struggled to control the line of scrimmage and was held to 139 offensive yards -- 78 yards coming on the final drive. Tyler Quick booted a 34-yard field goal to snap the Rebels' shutout bid with 3:10 left.

ECHS has now won 9 of the last 11 meetings and three in a row and holds a 17-12 edge in the rivalry that began in 1996 when South Effingham was formed from a split of ECHS.