GUYTON — A week after taking a giant step forward against Benedictine, South Effingham took two big steps backward Friday night.

The winless Mustangs (0-8, 0-4 in Region 2-AAAAAA) allowed three backs to rush for at least 113 yards in a 41-7 loss to Statesboro (3-5, 2-2) in their last home game of the season. The Blue Devils’ first-team offense scored on six of its seven possessions.

“Hats off to Statesboro. Let’s just talk about them,” Mustangs head coach Nathan Clark said. “Statesboro came out with a good plan and they played hard. They have a really good coach (Jeff Kaiser) and they outplayed us tonight.”

The Blue Devils opened the game with a 14-play touchdown drive that covered 78 yards. They converted a third-and-11 and fourth-and-nine situations before Aundrell Grace capped the march with a five-yard blast up the middle.

Ames Rackleff put Statesboro on the scoreboard again early in the second quarter with a 51-yard jaunt around the left end. The play was followed by his two-point toss to Ford Wildes that upped the lead to 14-0.

Statesboro capitalized on the good field position, taking just three plays to score. Jordan Lovett went the final 34 yards in a rushing play.

The Blue Devils’ third touchdown drive covered 99 yards. Grace tallied the score on a 45-yard slashing run and added another from 34 in the final period.

South Effingham got one touchdown, a three-yarder from Desmond Howard that cut the gap to 21-7 in the second quarter. He led a 376-yard rushing effort in a 39-25 loss to powerhouse Benedictine last week.

House set up his touchdown with a 49-yard jaunt that accounted for nearly half of the Mustangs’ 110 total yards.

“Statesboro did a great job of stopping our (single-wing) offense and we couldn’t stop them,” Clark said.  

The Blue Devils finished with 392 rushing yards and 63 through the air.

South Effingham will play at region leader Richmond Hill on Friday at 7:30 p.m.