BRUNSWICK — The object in Glynn Academy’s rear-view mirror was getting bigger in a hurry.
Effingham County, however, ran out of time before it could catch the Red Terrors. The Rebels dropped Friday’s Region 2-AAAAAA contest at Glynn County Stadium 24-17.
Coach Buddy Holder and his team (5-4, 1-2) weren’t the least bit despondent about the setback. They are determined to continue to improve.
“The second half brought them back together,” Holder said. “In the first half, it was tough.”
The Red Terrors (6-3, 3-0) bolted to a 14-0 halftime lead and were up 17-0 before Effingham County got on the board.
“They are a really good team,” Holder said. “They have a lot of speed and quickness. They play fast and they are coached very, very well coached.
Desmond House tallied Effingham County’s first points with 1:44 left in the third period on a six-yard run. They scored again less than five minutes later when Zach Thomas booted a 26-yard field goal.
“If we had come out in the first half like we did in the second half, things might have been a little bit better because the players fought like a family,” Holder said. “They took that to heart at halftime and it really showed. I’m proud of them.
“The second half was great.”
The Red Terrors interrupted the Rebels’ run with a 25-yard touchdown run by quarterback Sam Wagner with 4:06 left but Effingham County wasn’t done. Kenyan Hunter caught a 31-yard scoring pass from Jerid Stokes with 1:46 left to set up a last-gasp onside kick that Glynn Academy recovered.
“(Red Terrors) Coach (Rocky) Hidalgo told us after the game that we do the best job of anybody getting people better from week one to week ten,” Holder said. “That’s a testament to them and their hard work and dedication. Perseverance and dedication are things we preach to our guys.”
The Rebels will close their regular season Friday at Richmond Hill (4-4, 2-1).
“I haven’t looked at them (on film) at all. Holder said.
Holder kept film of the Red Terrors’ game against the Wildcats under wraps because he wanted his team to concentrate on Glynn Academy and not its regular-season finale.
“We had other film on them but we were so worried about showing it to our kids because they would get up caught up with Richmond Hill because of the rivalry,” Holder said. “We really were hesitant to do a whole lot with it. We showed them a little bit but not too much.”
Holder usually tries to get an early peek at an opponent in an effort to help his staff prepare during Sunday game planning.
“(Friday), I watched (Thursday’s) B-team and C-team against Screven,” he said. “I wanted to see our young kids. Purposely, I said, ‘I am not going to look at Richmond Hill. I am not going to get ahead.”
The Wildcats have been plagued by injuries by Holder still expects a rugged battle.
“They’ve still got plenty of bullets in their gun,” he said.
