HEPHZIBAH – Hephzibah shook off a loss at Thomson on the final night of the regular season by routing Pike County 55-14 on Nov. 13, in the GHSA 3A playoff opening round.
Hephzibah (9-2) will meet KIPP Atlanta Charter (8-3) in the second round.
It was a chilly night in Big John McLeod Stadium at Hephzibah High School, but the temperature clearly didn’t affect the Rebels’ play, as they claimed a resounding win in front of a raucous home crowd to open their postseason.
“We came out with the intention of erasing any doubt that we belong here,” said Rebel Coach Daniel Dorsey. “And I think we did just that. It’s a team effort to win. Coaches, players, everyone here is on the same page. You can’t point to anyone in particular as the reason for our success. Everyone is bought in and vital.”
Dorsey’s words rang true, but the Rebels were bolstered by standout performances from running back Reante Byrd, quarterback Trust Mack and receiver Dextavion Reese.
Byrd racked up a massive 226 yards from scrimmage and three scores. Mack completed five of his seven attempts for 206 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He also ran the ball extremely effectively, adding 138 yards on the ground, another touchdown, and a fumble. If that wasn’t enough, he was also incredibly disruptive on the other side of the ball at middle linebacker. Finally, Dextavion Reese: he only touched the ball twice (a catch and a run), but made the most of it. He ended the day with 100 yards and two scores.
Overall, Hephzibah outgained Pike County on the ground 405-140. The Rebels held the edge comfortably through the air as well, with they passed for 206 yards to the Pirates’ 79.
Hephzibah set the tone as soon as they could, picking off Pirate quarterback Kaison Boes on his first passing attempt of the game; Byrd immediately capitalized by taking the Rebels’ first offensive play 55 yards to the house. Pike County scored their sole first half points on the next drive in spite of some mishaps to tie the game at seven. Hephzibah would take over the rest of the quarter, scoring on a gorgeous 60-yard catch-and-run and an artistic 40-yard run, both by Rutgers commit Reese, to make it 21-7 Hephzibah.
The second quarter was more of the same, with the Rebels taking the ball at the start of it. Mack, the junior quarterback, would break free on a keeper for a 60-yard score. The Pirates couldn’t answer, stalling out inside the Rebels’ five, and Byrd would take a screen and handoff a combined 81 yards for yet another Rebels touchdown. The half would end in chaos, with three turnovers in the last 40 seconds, but, like the rest of the night, Hephzibah came out on top. As time expired Christopher Kohn took a 90-yard screen all the way, and the Rebels went into the locker room for halftime with a 42-7 lead.
The second half was more of the same. The Rebels scored on the very first play of the half, this time a 56-yard Byrd touchdown. A running clock was implemented as the Pirates continued to move the ball ineffectively, though they would force Hephzibah to punt the ball for the first and only time. Pike County multi-tool Colin Bland would take it 44 yards back to the Rebels’ 11-yard-line and then caught a six-yard pass from Boes to score the Pirates’ second and final touchdown of the day and make it 14-48 with 12 minutes to play.
The fourth quarter didn’t see Hephzibah relent, as they’d immediately answer Bland’s touchdown as if it were a personal insult, with a four-play scoring drive bolstered by gains of over 20 yards by each Byrd, Mack and Roosevelt Habersham. Byrd added the PAT.
“We’re just grateful for the opportunity to play football for at least one more week,” said Dorsey. “Our guys get another opportunity to showcase their talent against a really good opponent. We’ll watch film, we’ll game plan, and we’ll prepare for next Friday; that’s all there is to it.”
Hephzibah will face a strong KIPP Collegiate Warriors team on Nov. 20. The Warriors are coming off a convincing win of their own, beating the Haralson County Rebels 56-3.
Pike County finished its season with a 6-5 record.
Cooper Brady is an Augusta University student.
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