ONE STEP CLOSER ...
Bears break Mustangs in 22-20 win
By Anne Marie Kyzer Staff Writer

STAFF - ANNE MARIE KYZER Mitch Mitchell is hoisted into the air by quarterback Tyler Hammett after the Bears defeated South Effingham. The win brought them one game closer to a spot in the playoffs.

The seniors on the team haven't thrown their helmets into the post-season ring since they started at Burke County High School.

It's been six long seasons since the Bears earned a slot in the region play-off bracket, but this could be the year of their return.

Burke County (6-2, 3-0) toppled South Effingham County High School 22-20 Friday night in Effingham County. The Mustangs were the only other undefeated team in the subregion before they met the Bears.

"That was a big step," head coach Eric Parker said of his team's victory. "A lot of people said that was the team to beat coming into the season."

But Parker won't celebrate yet.

"We're one step closer, and we still have our region championship hopes alive," he said. "But, right now, we're not in the playoffs. We've got two games left, and we need to go back to work."

The Bears still need one more win to make the playoffs, and Friday night could be their ticket.

This week, Burke County heads south of Savannah to face Richmond Hill High School in Wildcat Stadium. Kick off is set for 7:30 p.m.

The Bears haven't lost a game to the Wildcats, or even let them score a single point, since the teams started playing in 2003. Last year, Burke County crushed the Cats 49-0.

The Wildcats enter this year's match-up 1-7, 0-3 and are licking their wounds from a 32-7 loss to Benedictine Military Academy last Friday.

If the Bears play like they did last week against South Effingham, they could come away with a victory and a spot in the playoffs.

Burke County punched first and dominated the game for the first three quarters against the Mustangs. Their early aggression was enough to help them hold on through a tough fourth quarter.

On the Bears second drive of the game, senior Cornelius Washington caught a touchdown pass from senior quarterback Tyler Hammett. Three plays into the Mustangs' next possession, Washington sacked the quarterback for a loss and forced a punt situation. He tallied 6 tackles and 2 sacks in the game.

When the Bears got the ball back, junior Brandon Brown dashed into the corner of the end zone for Burke County's second touchdown before the first quarter was over. Brown led the Bears rushing with 63 yards on 18 attempts. He also caught 2 passes for 18 yards.

With just seconds left in the second quarter, junior Bobby Burum grabbed a pass from Hammett and placed the ball over the goal line to put the Bears up 19-7 at halftime. Burum caught 4 of Hammett's passes for 92 yards against the Mustangs.

Sophomore kicker Nathan Chance posted the Bears' final points of the game in the fourth quarter with a field goal kick, extending their lead to 22-7.

Despite Mustang touchdowns on their next two possessions, South Effingham couldn't muster the points to make a comeback.

"That right there was close," senior lineman Tim Prophet said after the game. "We should have been more alert, but in the end we came out on top. The team worked hard and we got the job done."

Hammett completed 11 of 20 passes for 177 yards and 2 touchdowns. He had 21 yards rushing on 7 carries.

Sophomore Terrell Brigham caught 4 of Hammett's passes for 62 yards. He also recorded 5 tackles and 2 assists for the night as a defensive back. Junior Rodney Moye rushed for 21 yards on 4 carries, and tallied 7 tackles on the other side of the ball.

Keonté Gross led the Bears defense with 11 tackles and 2 assists. Three of those tackles were for losses, and one forced a fumble.

Junior Arsenio Strong recorded 6 tackles and 7 assists, Prophet had 7 tackles and 4 assists and senior Quentin Holmes had 4 tackles and 4 assists.