Redskins on a roll. How Bryan Co.'s football team has engineered a turnaround

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PEMBROKE – Three years of hard work, sweat and occasional tears came to fruition for Bryan County’s football team Friday night when the Redskins rallied to beat Portal on Senior Night.

Coach Cherard Freeman said the 28-24 win over previously unbeaten Portal didn’t come by happenstance.

Trailing 24-22 with 2:36 to play following a fourth-and-26 touchdown pass from quarterback Elijah Coleman to Amir Jackson and Coleman’s conversion run the Redskins could have panicked and folded their tent.

Instead, they remained calm, cool and collected and drove 80 yards—10 running plays—with Konnor Leggett scoring the game winner with 27 seconds to play. It was Leggett’s third touchdown of the night.

“This is what we’ve been building the last three years,” Freeman said. “The last three years was all bundled up in that drive.

“Everything we’ve done is about winning.”

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The victory is Bryan County's third straight. The Redskins' (3-1) lone loss came by three points in the season opener against traditional power Lincoln County. With the win against Portal, Bryan County matches last year’s win total.

Three years ago, the Redskins did not win a game as Freeman started upwards of 15 freshmen.

Here's how Bryan County continued its winning ways.

An overwhelming run game

Bryan County lost the linchpin of its offense on the game's first series when leading rusher Austin Clemons was sidelined with a knee injury. Backfield mates Leggett and Erin Greene responded to Clemons' absence.

Leggett finished with 121 yards on 21 carries in addition to his three touchdown scores. Greene, who had a 30-yard scoring run, added 110 yards on the ground.

Big catch sets early tone for Redskins

It was early in the game but Kris Martin went high in the air between two Portal defenders to pull down a Trevor Lawrence pass for 32-yard gain on 1st-and-26 to put the ball on the 5-yard line.

Leggett scored two plays later for the team’s first touchdown of the game. It was the first series after Clemons’ injury and was a great confidence boost. Freeman said it was one of the biggest plays of the game and a great catch.

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More about that running game

Bryan County ran for 321 yards including 224 in the second half with both Leggett (121) and Greene (110) surpassing 100 yards. Eight Redskins had one or more carries. They had 10 running plays of 10 or more yards.

A team on a mission

A three-win team a year ago the Redskins are on a mission. Still a young team – only seven seniors are on the roster—they’re maturing every game. Losing Clemons in the opening minutes and trailing with two minutes to play and 80 yards to go they never panicked and rallied to be a good Portal team.

They said it

“The offensive line was blocking all night. Every single time the hole was open. The only people who could tackle me was the linebackers. No one on the line could get me.” – Leggett on the performance of his offensive line.

“That shows they’re growing up, that they’re maturing. They’ve got fight in them." – Coach Freeman on the upset

Bryan linemen get the game balls

The offensive line of Kameron Boggs, Tarrell Singleton, Raul Parrish, Jet Lewis, Allen Williams, John Good, Kris Martin and Luke Holcombe, most of whom go both ways, simply blew Portal defenders off the line in the second half, especially on the winning touchdown drive which never saw the Redskins get in a third down situation.

With three touchdowns and 121 yards rushing Leggett cannot be overlooked, either, especially considering he also played all but three snaps on defense.

Tough opponent for next week

Bryan County will be at home against Telfair County (3-1) at 7:30 p.m. next Friday. Portal will be at home against Wilkinson County (1-2) at 7:30 p.m. next Friday.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Turnaround season continues for Bryan County high school football team