The ECI Bulldogs traveled to South Georgia Friday to take on Clinch Co. in the second round of the state playoffs. The number 10 ranked Bulldogs and the number 2 ranked Panthers, fought for 48 minutes with the home team winning the second-round match-up 28-18. The Bulldogs outplayed Clinch Co. for the first three quarters but found themselves down 14-3 at halftime, having not given up an offensive touchdown.
After a scoreless first quarter the Bulldogs put the first points on the board. After driving the length of the field to inside the Panther 10, the Bulldogs looked to take a 7-point lead on a Kennedy to Daon Bethea fade pass in the corner of the endzone. Everyone, including the Panther radio announcers, saw and called a touchdown but was called incomplete by the referee.
Jackson Kennedy bounced the ball off the cross bar early in the second quarter to put ECI in the lead 3-0. It was a short-lived lead for the Bulldogs. Shortman Jerome Anderson fielded a pooch kick on the ensuing ECI kickoff, taking it back 57 yards to for a Panther touchdown and a 7-3 lead over the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs drove the ball down to the Panther 4-yard line later in the second quarter looking to take the lead.
On second and goal from the 4, a blitzing Panther linebacker stripped the ball from quarterback Jackson Kennedy from his blind side as his arm went up to pass. Malik McNair scored the Panthers’ second touchdown on a 96-yard defensive return for a 14-3 Clinch lead at halftime. The Bulldog defense gave up their first Clinch touchdown in the third quarter. The Bulldogs had the Panthers backed up in their own territory on another defensive stand. On third and 18 at their own 18 the Clinch Co. QB scrambled and found Posley on the sidelines who raced 82 yards for a Panther touchdown and a 21-3 lead.
It didn’t take long for the never quit Bulldogs to claw their way back into the game scoring the next two touchdowns. Jackson Kennedy hit Ab Marsh on the first play after the Panther touchdown for a 52-yard touchdown, with the Panthers leading 21-10. The Bulldog’s second touchdown came later in the quarter after a Clinch Co. fumble gave the Bulldogs back the ball at their own 30-yard line. The Bulldogs drove 70 yards for their next score. Tyler Foreman got ECI closer with a hard earned 9-yard touchdown run. The Bulldogs ran a perfect reverse pass on the two point try to cut the Panther lead to 21-18.
The Panther’s scored their second offensive touchdown in the middle of the fourth to extend their lead to 28-18. The Bulldogs couldn’t mount another scoring drive with their season ending, losing to Clinch Co. 28-18.
Tyler Foreman led the Bulldogs on the ground, carrying the ball 11 times for 56 yards. Ab Marsh had 3 carries for 43 yards and Chase Johnson ended the game with 22 yards. Jackson Kennedy was 9-18 for 171 yards and one touchdown. Tyler Foreman caught 3 passes for 50 yards, Ab Marsh grabbed one for a 52-yard touchdown and Chase Johnson caught 2 balls for 57 yards.
The Bulldogs have some big shoes to fill next season. They will be losing 9 seniors in key positions to graduation. Strapping on the helmet for the last time as an ECI Bulldog Friday were Tyler Foreman, Daon Bethea, LJ Tarver, Drew Handsom, Jackson Kennedy, Vyntavius Hughes, Creed Sanders, Noah Johnson and Jordan Handsom.
The 2026 Bulldogs schedule will be totally different from this season. Region 3 will be losing Savannah, Metter, Bryan Co. and Screven due to those 4 teams moving up to class AA. The Bulldogs will go from a 9-team region to 5 football team playing region and will be looking for 6 non-region games, after playing just 2 non-region this season.
There will also be a new seeding system for Class A division II in the state playoffs. All classes will be seeded according to power rankings, again.
No matter the schedule, the Bulldogs will be back in the weight room for off season workouts preparing for 2026.
