Effingham football started season 0-2 yet plays for region title. What's behind the rally?
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Where do you want to start when describing Effingham County’s surprising run to the Region 2-6A football championship game against Brunswick on Friday night?
The Rebels began the season with two losses and numerous question marks on how to return to 2021 form.
Seven games later, a new question is being asked – how high can this team climb?
Effingham QB Nate Hayes leads Rebels to special season
Effingham Co. football preview: Here are five reasons why the Rebels can win region title
ECHS has won seven games in a row, equaling the longest winning streak since 1995, the last time the Rebels won a region championship.
“The lesson to learn here was you don’t rise to the level of your expectations, you fall to the level of your preparation,” ECHS coach John Ford said. “We’ve prepared and trained ourselves well so in the heat of combat, we have landed at a high level. And you do it all over again starting Saturday morning. I think our kids have learned that.”
Undefeated Brunswick, ranked ninth by ScoreAtlanta, provides a formidable road block. The Rebels haven’t beaten the Pirates in Brunswick since 1995 (seven games).
ECHS was in a similar position against Brunswick last season in Springfield and nearly pulled off an upset, falling 21-18.
Quarterback Nate Hayes doesn’t want to hear what his team can or can’t accomplish in Glynn County Stadium on Friday.
“We try to block out all the external noise and focus on us going into each week,” Hayes said.
Here are five reasons why the Rebels have recovered from an 0-2 start and are in a position to capture a region title.
Passing grades at QB
Hayes took over the starting position this season after Matthew Ford graduated and had some natural growing pains. But the junior seemingly gets better every week. He has thrown for 1,433 yards and 12 touchdowns with just two interceptions and has run for 314 yards and a score. Under Hayes, ECHS is averaging 26 points a game – six points better than last season. During the seven game-winning streak, the Rebels are averaging 32 points a game.
Getting a rush from Evans
The junior played on the junior varsity team last season and his ability to replace a graduating senior tandem was unknown. But Evans’ hard-nosed running between the tackles has given ECHS a different offensive dimension this year. He has four 100-yard games in the Rebels’ last five outings and has produced 876 yards and seven touchdowns. Backup Damion Gordon, just a sophomore, has 182 yards and two TDs.
The Keion factor
Highly regarded senior Keion Wallace, a wide receiver and safety, has returned to the lineup after missing most of the 2021 season because of shoulder surgery. Wallace, who is ranked as a three-star recruit by Rivals, has 15 Division I-A offers including SEC schools Auburn, Mississippi and Texas A&M. Despite seeing opposing defenses geared to stop him, Wallace has 24 catches for 454 yards and eight touchdowns. He also has 43 tackles as a free safety.
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Defense wins championships
The Rebels have strong playmakers at every level – defensive line, linebackers and secondary – and are surrendering about 13 points a game which is on pace to be the team’s best scoring defense since 2007 (12.2 ppg.). Keysean McCarr and Cooper Nease are disruptive forces on the line. Linebacker Luke Roberts has a team-leading 85 tackles and nine tackles for losses. In the secondary, Wallace, Ashley Thompson and Timmy Brown are Division I talents and Messiah Bacon has a team-leading five interceptions.
Ford driven by innovative coach
ECHS won two games in 2019 and three games in 2020 before the arrival of Ford, who directed the team to six wins and a state playoff berth last season. Ford has had a steady hand in preparing the team, but hasn’t been afraid to tinker with the offense – adding more running to the short-passing spread attack. “You just try to do what your kids do well,” he said.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Effingham County high school football play for region title
