The final score may have shown a 25-12 Statesboro victory Friday night, but it certainly didn't tell the whole story.
For much of the night at Womack Field, the ECI Bulldogs controlled the game and held the lead against the Class 5A Blue Devils. In fact, the Bulldogs led Statesboro in virtually every offensive category, but two short fields late in the game proved to be the difference.
After opening the season against Class AA opponents Metter and Swainsboro, the Bulldogs stepped up in competition again Friday against 5A Statesboro. The schedule doesn't get any easier next week when ECI returns home to Rountree Stadium to host fourth-ranked Class AA Bleckley County.
Friday's game began as a defensive battle, with neither team able to put points on the scoreboard in the opening quarter. Both teams were trading punts, while the Bulldogs had a couple of opportunities to find the end zone but couldn't capitalize.
ECI finally broke through in the second quarter.
Charles Buie took a handoff on a reverse, turned the corner and outran the Statesboro defense for a 65-yard touchdown run to take a 6-0 lead.
Statesboro answered late in the first half with a 39-yard field goal, cutting the Bulldogs' lead to 6-3 heading into halftime.
ECI came out of the locker room and put together one of its best drives of the night.
The Bulldogs took the opening kickoff of the second half and marched down the field on a 17-play drive that consumed nearly 10 minutes. ECI moved all the way to the Blue Devils' 9-yard line, but the drive ended when the Bulldogs turned the ball over on downs.
Statesboro was already without its starting quarterback, who left the game with an ankle injury in the first half. The Blue Devils turned increasingly to a two-tight-end, run-heavy offense, repeatedly attacking between the tackles.
The strategy finally paid off with just 12 seconds remaining in the third quarter when Statesboro scored on a 3-yard touchdown run to take its first lead of the night, 10-6.
The Blue Devils added to that advantage early in the fourth quarter after ECI fumbled deep in its own territory. Statesboro took over at the Bulldogs' 35-yard line and needed little time to capitalize, extending its lead to 18-6.
But the Bulldogs weren't finished.
ECI took the ensuing kickoff and put together an 11-play scoring drive. Quarterback Davis Johnson capped the drive with a touchdown scramble to put six points on the board to draw within a touchdown, 18-6.
With the clock winding down, the Bulldogs were backed up deep in their own territory when another turnover on downs gave Statesboro possession at the ECI 30-yard line.
Four plays later, the Blue Devils found the end zone again to put the game out of reach, eventually claiming the 25-12 victory.
Despite the loss, the Bulldogs' offense had a productive night against the Class 5A Blue Devils. ECI rushed for 265 yards and added another 89 through the air for 354 total yards, compared to 248 total yards for Statesboro.
Johnson led the Bulldogs on the ground with 95 yards, followed by Ab Marsh with 87 yards and Buie with 65 yards.
The Bulldogs will now return home for Homecoming as they continue their demanding early-season schedule.
Fourth-ranked Bleckley County, from Cochran, will visit Rountree Stadium Friday night. The Royals will present another major challenge for the Bulldogs as ECI looks to bounce back from Friday night's hard-fought loss.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
