Panthers playoff bound

Scott gave the Panthers a go-ahead score on a 51-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter and Jackson County produced a late defensive stand to clinch a state playoff berth with a 33-28 Senior Night win over Elbert County Friday. Click here for photos.

The Panthers (6-3, 4-2) — who close the season next week at Morgan County — have broken a 20-year postseason drought.

“Senior Night, it feels amazing,” Scott said. “Coming out here, beating a team that is that good, it just shows everybody that we’re not a joke anymore.”

The game ended with a sack of Elbert County quarterback Mecole Hardman as the Blue Devils were driving into Panther territory for a possible game-winning score.

Elbert County couldn’t get lined back up after the sack and the clock expired. Panther students and fans engulfed the field to join the players in a celebration two decades in the making.

“It’s huge,” first-year coach Benji Harrison said. “We set that (going to state) as our goal from day one. And a lot of people probably looked at us like we were crazy. But you’re never going to turn the program around until the expectations change. Our kids bought into that expectation. To do this just gives me chills because the kids have worked so hard.”

Scott, coming off a 318-yard performance against Oconee County, finished with 143 yards rushing and four touchdowns — three rushing and one receiving. Scott now has 1,023 yards rushing on the season.

Meanwhile, the Panther defense responded in the second half, holding the Blue Devils — who were playing without the services of star tailback Tyshon Dye – to one touchdown while forcing two turnovers.

“We realized that this team is beatable,” said Jackson County defensive end River Bryant who had five tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks. “We’ve come a long way as Jackson County. We just put that on the field and believed in ourselves and we were able to put it together and win.”

Jackson County trailed 28-27 early in the fourth quarter with Elbert County moving into Panther territory. But defensive back Garrett Holt intercepted an overthrown pass from Hardman at the Panther 20.

Jackson County’s subsequent drive, however, seemingly stalled when it was faced with a third-and-11 at its own 49. So the Panthers handed the ball to Scott, who got to the corner and burned the Blue Devils for a 51-yard touchdown run with 6:33 left in the game.

“I couldn’t have done it without the wide out blocking,” explained Scott, who said that Xavier Harper provided the key block. “As soon as I saw that, it was turn on the jets and run like crazy.”

For the second week in a row, Scott — who scored on a 91-yarder last week to clinch a win over Oconee County — was just trying to get a key first down late in a game and ended up going all the way.

“Everybody, from the line to the wide receivers blocking, they did an outstanding job,” Scott said. “I couldn’t ask for any better.”

Harrison said Scott is a player who wants the ball at big moments.

“He’s an explosive player,” Harrison said. “We just felt like with what they were doing that maybe we’d surprise them a little bit. He’s got great work ethic and with how he practices and works everyday, that’s why he’s had success the last few weeks.”

Jackson County forced a fumble on Elbert County’s next possession, but the Panthers gave the Blue Devils one last gasp with an interception with 1:26 left in the game. Elbert County drove to the Jackson County 30 with 21 seconds left but the Panther defense responded with the game-ending sack to send Jackson County to the playoffs.

“It’s all the hard work we’ve been putting in,” Bryant said. “That’s all it is. The score hasn’t always reflected how well we’ve played. But that last stand was clutch. That’s my word for it.”

Harrison said the defense played “huge.”

“We challenged them at half time,” the coach said. “The defense, I can’t say enough. They responded in the second half. They came up with some huge stops for us and gave us an opportunity to win.”

This was Jackson County’s first-ever win over Elbert County in seven meetings. The victory also clinched the Panthers’ first winning season since 1992.

Jackson County, which had lost to Elbert County by a combined score of 102-8 the past two years, showed early on that this year would be different.

Senior quarterback Kyle Daniel connected with Ben Brissey on a 35-yard pass on the first play of the game. Daniel finished 19-of-26 for 207 yards and passed the 2,000-yard mark on the year (2,099 yards). Jackson County later scored on a one-yard run from Scott to cap a 63-yard drive.

“We said that we’ve got to let them know early that we’re going to play with them,” Harrison said. “By getting the ball first and doing that, it gave our kids confidence.”

Scott added a four-yard touchdown reception on the Panthers’ next drive and later a nine-yard touchdown run with 2:28 left in the first half as Jackson County led 21-14.

Elbert County, however, scored with four seconds left in the first half — with a nine-yard touchdown pass from Hardman to Rantious Reed — to knot the game at 21 at the half.

Daivon Ledford broke the tie in the third quarter with a four-yard touchdown run, but Elbert County’s K’taro Cade answered with a five-yard rushing touchdown to put the Blue Devils ahead 28-27 heading into the final period.

But the Panthers answered with a fourth quarter of football that will be remembered for quite some time at Jackson County.

For the senior class, it was a fitting way to finish its final game at home.

“It’s very emotional,” Scott said. “Tears of joy. Can’t ask anything better. Just coming out and playing your hearts out the last time you’re going to play on your home turf.”