By: Jeff Doke

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

It would be a vast understatement to say that it has been a rough couple of weeks in the Golden Isles.

Frederica Academy had two crucial weeks remaining as Matthew started bearing down on the Golden Isles, both against region opponents and both that had serious playoff implications.

Obviously, considerations of safety were much more important, but the games still had to be played. With that in mind, Frederica and their week nine opponent Bulloch Academy were faced with three options; play the game two nights early on Wednesday night, play the game Thursday morning, or wait until the following Monday night to play.

Had they waited until Thursday morning, the players and coaches that lived on the island would not have been let back on St Simons. Had they played Monday night, who knows what state of mind everyone would have been in considering the island had still not been opened up for residents.

All things being equal, Wednesday night turned out to be the option that made the best sense from a scheduling point of view.

Scheduling and preparation are two different things, however, and it showed on the field that night. Frederica’s hopes for an undefeated season were dashed at the hands of their heated rivals by a score of 8-7.

The game was one of the strangest that I have ever witnessed on many levels. First and foremost, you could tell that both players and coaches alike understandably had other things on their minds. Compound that with only a day and a half of practice for the week, and it’s understandable that the Knights weren’t playing up to their usual high-octane standards. Then there was the wild card; lady Luck.

Lady Luck was not smiling on the Knights in Statesboro. No, at times it seemed that she was pointing and laughing heartily, mumbling something along the lines of “yo’ mama dresses you funny.”

Case in point; at one point in the game, the Gators were facing a 4^th & 10 deep in their own territory. Frederica blocked the punt, only to have the ball bounce straight back into the hands of the punter, who then scrambled for 35 yards and a first down.

“I should have said at that point ‘pack up the bus, let’s head home. This isn’t our night,’” said a frustrated Coach Brandon Derrick.

Bulloch was able to control the tempo of the game, keeping the ball almost entirely on the ground in the scoreless first half.

In the second half, the Knights were able to score on a Patrick Brunson TD run from the wildcat formation, but were unable to bring down a crucial interception nor were they able to add points, missing two relatively easy field goals.

Add in a Bulloch touchdown and 2-point conversion, as well as a phantom intentional grounding penalty in the final minute, and you get the end to what was up until that point a perfect season.

Fast forward 10 days. It’s now a sunny Saturday afternoon, the storm is passed, full practice time has been taken advantage of, and the Knights are ready to wrap up their season against Edmund Burke Academy.

The results of the day were much more similar to the first seven games of the season than the last one, with Frederica coming out victorious by the tune of 34-7.

Patrick Brunson added two more TD runs including a 67-yard thing of beauty. Jaylin Simpson had two TDs as well, and had a pick-six called back on a penalty. The only hiccup on the day was Jashawn Sheffield leaving the game with an injured ankle in the second quarter.

“It’s a bad sprain, but we’re off this week and he’ll be able to rest it. We may hold him out the first week of the playoffs, we’ll just have to wait and see,” reported Coach Derrick after the game.

With the victory, the Knights finish region play with a 3-1 record. They are guaranteed at least the second seed in the upcoming playoffs. First seed is still a possibility, depending on the outcome of this week’s Pinewood/Bulloch matchup.

Playoff seeding and first round opponents will be posted on SSE as soon as they are available.