Mistakes doom Team SC in Border Bowl blanking
Jan. 7—TEAM GA 35, TEAM SC 0
GROVETOWN — An error-prone Team SC did itself zero favors against a Team GA that was ready to pounce on every mistake Saturday at Border Bowl X.
The paddle is staying west of the Savannah River as Team GA recorded its second consecutive shutout in the annual bowl game played between the CSRA's top senior high school football players.
The latest edition is the most lopsided score in the series, with Team GA forcing four turnovers and returning two for touchdowns in a 35-0 blanking that narrows Team SC's lead in the series to 5-4 — the game wasn't played in 2021.
Team SC simply couldn't stay out of its own way Saturday at Grovetown High School, halting any of its own offensive momentum by committing drive-killing turnovers.
Three of those came during Team GA's 28-point second quarter. A fumble return for a touchdown with 9:07 left in the period put Team GA on the board, and the opportunistic defense was only getting started.
Denmark-Olar's Keithan Washington was stopped on fourth and short near midfield — he converted in a similar situation on the previous drive — and Team GA went to the skies with a long pass down to the 5. Evans' DJ Walton ran it in from there, putting Team GA ahead 14-0 with 2:22 left in the half.
Disaster struck again for Team SC just 44 seconds later, with Team GA scooping up another fumble and returning it for another score to make it 21-0.
Team SC got the ball right back, looking to generate anything positive before the half. Instead, a screen pass thrown by Silver Bluff's Maleik Williams was intercepted at the Team SC 19-yard line.
Team GA went for the jugular on the next snap, firing a touchdown pass for a 28-0 lead at the break.
Another promising drive by Team SC in the third quarter ended the same way so many of the previous ones did, with another fumble going Team GA's way and eventually turning into another touchdown.
North Augusta's DJ Curry had some success rushing the football, leading the way with 59 yards. McCormick's A'Chean Durant rushed for 44, and Barnwell's Tyler Smith had 25.
Team SC never was able to generate much in the passing game, going 6-for-14 as a team for 40 yards and an interception. Midland Valley's TJ McElmurray was the team's leading passer with 36 of those yards.
Team GA was sharper throughout the game, and the only real misfires were two missed field goals after the game was well out of reach.
Team GA also pitched a shutout in last year's game, winning 16-0. The last points scored by Team SC came in Border Bowl VII in 2020, when Barnwell's Dallyon Creech scored the game-winner on a pass from Saluda's Noah Bell to extend the since-broken win streak to four games.
Border Bowl Results
X — Jan. 7, 2023: GA 35, SC 0
IX — Jan. 8, 2022 : GA 16, SC 0
VIII — No game
VII — Jan. 14, 2020: SC 23, GA 20
VI — Jan. 12, 2019: SC 27, GA 18
V — Jan. 6, 2018: SC 32, GA 25
IV — Jan. 17, 2017: SC 22, GA 20
III — Jan. 8, 2016: GA 35, SC 21
II — Jan. 9, 2015: SC 12, GA 8
I — Jan. 11, 2014: GA 24, SC 10
