8th grade Bainbridge football team are champions again

The Bainbridge Middle School 8th grade Bearcats won the Southwest Georgia football championship on Thursday night, defeating Washington Middle School of Cairo 10-2 at Centennial Field.

This was the fourth consecutive year the 8th grade Bearcats have played in the Championship game and the third straight year they have won. During the past three seasons, the 8th grade Bearcat football teams have combined to win 21 consecutive contests.

The seventh grade teams also have appeared in four consecutive championship games winning in 2012, 2013, and 2015.

This is the first season both of Bainbridge Middle School’s 7th and 8th grade squads have both finished the season with identical 7-0 records.

Scoring Summary – 8th grade Championship

2-0 Washington 1st Qtr. 2:01 Safety- Bainbridge Punter downed in endzone.
Key Plays: On the Safety, the Bainbridge snapper sent a low snap that the Punter, who inadvertently knelt down on the ground in the endzone when reaching down to pick it up, for the safety.

8-2 Bainbridge 3rd Qtr. 4:43. Outside Linebacker Anthony Florence 76 yard interception return(Quarterback Sam Boutwell Run).
Key Plays: Washington took the second half kick off and drove the ball from their own 31 yard line to the Bainbridge 28 in five plays. In the drive Bainbridge Defensive back Dewayne Kyles made a great effort in halting a sure touchdown. Starting from his own 37 yard line the Washington quarterback broke free outside for a 42 yard run, but an alert Kyles was able to track him down and make a tackle at the Bainbridge 21.
Three plays later the Tiger quarterback dropped back to pass, but Bearcat inside linebacker Jvon Lee pressured him, hitting his arm as he was releasing his pass, the ball then fluttered behind his intended target and into the outstretched arms of Bearcat Outside Linebacker Anthony Florence. As Florence made his way to the outside on the interception return, Lee had come back to help and threw a block that took out two would be tacklers allowing Florence to sail down the sideline for a 76 yard return for a touchdown. On the two point conversion Boutwell ran a quarterback bootleg to the left side for the score.

10-2 Bainbridge 4th Qtr. 1:34. Safety-Cairo Wide Receiver tackled in the endzone.
Key plays: Late in the contest the Bearcats drove to the Tiger 1 yard line, but were turned away just short of the goal, turning the ball over on downs. With Washington in possession of the ball at their one yard line the the Bainbridge defense stiffened allowing no yardage to be gained. On fourth down the Tigers attempted to try a double pass, but when the receiver caught the ball in the endzone, Bearcat Defensive Back Roquon Freeman, hit him forcing the receivers knee to touch the ground resulting in a safety.

Scoring Summary – 7th Grade Championship

7th Grade Southwest Georgia Championship
BMS 50 Washington (Cairo) 8

6-0 Bain. 1st Qtr. 5:32 Fullback Jvon Lee 11 yard run (Runningback Reshad Broadnax run failed). 3 plays 55 yard drive.
Key plays: After the defense held Washington to one yard in three plays, Bainbridge took over at their 45 yard line. On first down Fullback Jvon Lee bulled his way carrying a host of defenders to the Washington 32, for a 23 yard gain. Following a holding penalty on the Bearcats, that put the ball at the Tigers 43, Runningback Reshad Broadnax gained 32 yards on a toss sweep around the right side to the eleven yard line. On the ensuing play Lee scored on a run up the middle. Broadnax ran up the middle and was stopped inches short of the goalline.

14-0 Bain. 1st Qtr. 5:08 Broadnax 44 yard Interception Return (Lee run)
Key Plays: After the kickoff following the games first score, Broadnax, playing outside linebacker, grabbed an errant pass entended for the Tiger Tight end, and spun around and raced 44 yards for the score. On the two point conversion Lee ran up the middle untouched for the score.

20-0 Bain. 1st Qtr. 3:25 Broadnax 61 yard run (QB Quayde Hawkins pass failed) 2 play 65 yard drive.
Key Plays: Bainbridge Safety Daniel Allen dove for Washington pass and intercepted it at his own 35 yard line. Following an incomplete pass and a penalty that put the ball at the Bainbridge 39 yard line, Broadnax took a toss pitch to the left and raced 61 yards for the score. Hawkins Lateral pass to Wide Receiver Caleb McDowell was dropped and recovered by the Tigers.

26-0 Bain. 2nd Qtr. 6:09 Caleb McDowell 6 yard run (run failed-fumble lost) 9 plays 51 yard drive.
Key Plays: Following another defensive stand that netted the Tigers 1 yard in 3 attempts Bainbridge received the ball at the Bearcat 49. Six plays later Bainbridge had driven the ball to the Tigers’ 30 yard line and was facing a fourth down and two yards to go. McDowell in at Quarterback calmly ran a Quarterback sneak, good for three yards to keep the drive alive. McDowell then took a toss sweep to the right for 14 yards to the Washington 13 yard line. Two plays later McDowell scored a touchdown from six yards out on a run up the middle. A miscue in the backfield created a fumble and the Tigers recovered negating Bainbridge’s two point attempt.

34-0 Bain. 2nd Qtr. 2:12 McDowell 49 yard Fumble Recovery Return (Full back Courtney Thomas run)
The Tigers drove the ball from their own 40 yard line to the Bearcats 42 yard line. Facing a third down with 7 yards to go, the Tigers attempted a lateral pass to their left side, but a timely hit by Allen broke up the play creating a fumble that bounded towards the Washington sideline. McDowell alertly scooped up the ball and ran 49 yards for the score. Full back Courtney Thomas ran up the middle for the two point conversion.

42-0 Bain. 2nd Qtr. 0:52 Broadnax 59 yard run (Lee run) 3 plays 86 yard drive.
Key Plays: McDowell set up the final scoring drive as he intercepted a pass at the Bainbridge 14 yard line. Broadnax seemingly scored on the first play following the turnover, but a block in the back by Bainbridge during the run moved the ball to the Bearcat 30 yard line. Two plays later Broadnax took a toss pitch to the left side, broke thee Tiger tackle attempts and sailed down the sideline 59 yards for the touchdown. Lee ran up the middle for the two point conversion.

50-0 Bain. 3rd Qtr. 4:01 Running back Daylon Cosby 1 yard run (Thomas run) 7 plays 50 yard drive.
Key Plays: Bainbridge took the second half kick off and drove 50 yards in seven plays. A 14 yard run and 12 yard run by Cosby highlighted the drive. Cosby scored off of left guard for the touchdown. Thomas ran up the middle for the two point conversion.

50-8 Wash. 4th Qtr. 3:43 Wr #7 4 yard run (#7 run). 11 plays 59 yard drive.
Key Plays: The Tigers lone score and two point conversion was a repeat of the same play in secession. In both instances the Tiger quarterback handed the ball off to a slot back on the right, who in turn, handed the ball to the slotback on the left for a double reverse that got outside the Bainbridge containment.

Bainbridge 7th grade finished the season 7-0 , and in the past four years the BMS 7th grade teams have won 22 of 27 games winning the championship game 3 of the 4 years.