Brunswick High Pirates
Pirates Report Card Against Glynn
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
In the most anticipated City Championship game in years the Brunswick High Pirates dropped their 4th straight to the Glynn Academy Red Terrors 26-13.
The Pirates were whipped in every phase of the game. Brunswick came into the contest as the highest scoring team in their classification, and when the clock struck zero this senior class left as the first senior class since 1974 to not beat Glynn Academy in football during their high school career.
Pirate Report Card:
Special Teams: F. BHS had a punt blocked that set up the touchdown that put Glynn up 19-7.
Special Teams had been much improved in 2017 but in the biggest game of the year you can’t have kicks blocked and give a team like Glynn the ball on your 1 yard line. Maybe this grade is harsh, but the punt block was a major turning point in the game where you cannot afford any margin of error.
Defense: D. Who has the dang pitch man? Who has the pitch man? A question that was asked all night long by the Pirate nation.
Third down defense was not good as Glynn converted too many third down medium to long plays.
Coach Pender talked all week about the trick plays and Glynn used two to set up their first two TD’s. In the first half BHS struggled stopping the dive play. BHS struggled stopping the pitch man the entire game with Glynn’s read option.
The frustration also comes from the fact that Glynn only threw the ball maybe four times the entire game which means that they ran the ball right down the Pirates throat.
In a game where talent level is very similar for both teams it just means Glynn physically dominated BHS on the line of scrimmage. Who has the pitch man???
Offense: D. The highest scoring team in 6A football was held to 13 points. Nobody saw that coming.
The bright spots were Shaq Robinson, who sparked a TD drive right before the half to cut it to 12-7.
Alonzo Brown had another big game receiving. Jamarius Stevens was under pressure most of the night. Game plan was there but just not executed.
BHS dropped a wide open TD late in the game that could have been a huge. I’m not going to mention the kids name because I know he feels awful today. Give Glynn credit they kept everything in front of them and did not miss tackles. Very disappointed in the fact that this unit got shut down in this contest.
Coaching: C. I thought the game plan was solid and adjustments were made, but coaches can’t get on the field and make plays. When it came down to it Glynn players had the mental edge in the contest, which is why they control the series currently.
Overall: D. You can’t lay an egg in a game of this magnitude. Glynn continues to be the gold standard in this region and BHS just did not get it done last night. You can learn from this and get ready for a playoff run but these seniors will never have a chance to beat Glynn again in football.
The team fought hard and never gave up which is something the Pirate nation is proud of.
Up Next: Effingham. This game is a must win at home next Friday if BHS wants to host a playoff game.
Finally, as a former BHS football player it hurts to say Glynn flat out owns us in football, but got to give credit to GA for punching us right in the mouth for the fourth straight time.
Something that has not happened in over 40 years. When these seniors see their GA counterparts in the grocery store in 2047 they will understand and will think about this everyday of their lives.
Only thing left to say is GATA! Outstanding job Glynn Academy.
Still a lot to play for Pirates. BHS will not lose another game in the regular season.
Terrors Sink Pirates
By: Christian Goeckel
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
There’s nothing quite like high school football. In a town with just two teams, everyone must choose a side.
From downtown Brunswick coffee shops, to the golf courses on Jekyll, City Championship smack talk reached a fever-pitch this week. Brunswick finally has a team their fans and alumni can be proud of, putting up a over 40 points a game and doing it in style.
On the other side, Glynn Academy entered this week as the pseudo undercard (an undercard that had won the past three matchups, but an undercard nonetheless.).
The Terrors started the year 1-2, and the offense seemed to be missing a little too much after the departure of Deejay Dallas. Sure, they’d won a couple to get to 3-2, but have you seen Brunswick’s offense?
All that hype led to an atmosphere on Friday night that can only be described as Bowl Game -esque. Because Glynn and Brunswick share a stadium, the teams rotate home and away sides of the field every year. This year the home side fell to Glynn, with Terror nation packing the stadium side under the press box, while Brunswick’s faithful equally filled up the “away” side.
White and red smoked mixed in the South Georgia night while both teams exploded onto the field. The stage was set, now could this game live up to the hype?
For Glynn it did and then some. After deferring until the second half, Glynn’s defense took the field to test their metal against an offense that hadn’t been held under 43 points since week one.
Glynn answered the challenge. Hunter Hall stuffed Brunswick on a fourth and short deep in Glynn’s territory, setting the tone for the rest of the game. Glynn consistently got Brunswick Quarterback Jamarius Stevens off his spot, never allowing him to settle in and throw.
Brunswick was able to gash Glynn up the middle on their lone scoring drive of the first half, but couldn’t consistently establish any ground game.
Offensively, Coach Hidalgo doesn’t hide what he wants to do. He wants his running backs to hit you in the mouth all night, try to stop them.
Senior Caine Crews has taken that philosophy to heart, rushing for over 100 yards and 3 touchdowns. Hidalgo also unleashed his “Riverboat Gambler” side, with a throwback to Randon Jernigan that set up Glynn’s first score, and a reverse to back-up QB Sam Wagoner who pulled up and fired a strike to a wide open Jernigan streaking down the sideline for another touchdown.
With Glynn’s running game in full gear and Brunswick’s offense stuck in reverse, this game seemed to be headed to a blowout. Credit Brunswick for not backing down.
The Pirates put a touchdown on the board before the half to put the score at 12-7 headed into the break. The game hung in the balance deep into the third until Patrick Fulton came untouched on a Brunswick punt, blocking it and recovering it deep in Pirates territory.
Crews punched it in a few plays later, and that was that. Both teams would score once more, with Glynn emerging victorious 26-13.
Hidalgo has stated throughout the year that this region still runs through Glynn Academy. No matter how down they may seem, nothing will be given to you. You’ll have to pry this region from Glynn’s hands. Good luck.
This team has improved every week. If they can continue this formula of smash mouth running and smothering defense, another deep playoff run is in the cards. To the rest of Georgia… you’ve been warned.
SSE Minute Oct 14
Sean Pender Show Oct 12
SSE Minute Oct 7
Sean Pender Show Oct 4
Sean Pender Show Sept 27
Jason Bishop Show w Kipp Branch Sept 23
Pirates Sink South Effingham
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Something unexpected happened to the Brunswick High Pirates last night at Glynn County Stadium a Friday night kick-off. The 2017 All Weather Pirates played on a beautiful Friday night and routed the South Effingham Mustangs 44-13.
The Pirates jumped out to a 21-0 first quarter lead and never looked back.
Pirate Report Card:
Special Teams: B+. Dalton Thrift gets better every week. His 34-yard field goal at the halftime buzzer is something that BHS may need come playoff time.
Kick coverage has been solid all year. Only thing that kept this grade from being an A was a botched extra point attempt in the 3rd quarter. This area is much improved from 2016 where the kick-off coverage was terrible. Brunswick need this unit in a big game down the road.
Defense: A. This unit was solid all night long.
Jaylen King had a nice game. George Mincey continued his all-region play. Sean Ward and Kam Futch flew around all night long.
The coaching staff worked on some new blitz packages and caused a lot of issues for the Mustangs.
This unit is fast and causes problems for opposing teams with speed. BHS played some reserves in second half and gave up a few yards with a running clock in 4th quarter. It was the second straight game where this unit did not give up a first half point.
Offense: B+. Other than the pick 6 on a screen pass deep in Pirate territory, this unit did pretty much what they wanted to do all night long. The offensive line of Ty Hinson, TJ Kirkland, Brett Hall, John Cano, and Warren McClendon blew holes in the Mustang corral all night long.
It was also the Jamarius Stevens show on offense. The senior QB was 15-for-23, throwing for 244 yards and 3 touchdowns.
The senior also led the Pirates in rushing, rushing the rock 10 times for 118 yards and 3 touchdowns. Alonzo Brown had another 100-yard receiving day; his 4th in a row.
This unit worked on game plan type plays and did not take a real deep shot in passing game all night long.
Coaching: A. The game plan was solid with future games in mind and worked on consistently driving the football down field without going for quick strikes. No let down from the drought ending Camden win.
Overall: A-. Nice solid win over a team that you should beat 10 out of 10 times you play. The Pirates came out and took care of business.
Brunswick will have a bye week next week, then the undefeated Bradwell Tigers roll between the bricks on October 6th for region opener. The Pirates stand at 3-1 on the season.
SSE Minute Sept 23
