Coming off an open date Coach Cherard Freeman was looking for his Bryan County team to play better and it did. But unfortunately for the Redskins, their best overall performance of the season was not good enough Friday night as Windsor Forest (3-1) rode the legs and arm of junior quarterback Jaylen Martin to a 28-14 win at Redskins Field.

The loss left Bryan County (0-4) winless on the season going into Friday night’s game at Warren County (2-2). Freeman coached at Warren County for seven seasons before taking over the Redskins program five years ago.

The game with the Screaming Devils, coming off a 46-14 win over Glascock County, will be Bryan County’s final non-region game of the season. The Redskins will open region play on Oct. 2 when they host Screven County.

“We played a lot better tonight,” Freeman said. “We were able to move the football. We just couldn’t stop them.”

Bryan County opened the game by going three-and-out and then watched the Knights take a quick 6-0 lead when Martin went 76 yards on his team’s second play to set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Jameer Duncan. The 80-yard drive took only 79 seconds.

The Redskins used the week off to make some tweaks on offense—they moved quarterback Jamariyan Cosey back under center after going to the shotgun for the first three games – and it paid quick dividends when they drove 57 yards for the go-ahead touchdown on the ensuing series.

Cosey capped the seven-play drive when he scored on a 9-yard run around the left side. Senior JD Roberson kicked the extra point, the first of two on the night. Roberson, a senior in his first season of football after three years of soccer, now 6-of-6 on extra points this season.

“We went back to what we’ve been doing,” Freeman said of moving Cosey back under center. “The kids grasped it real well and they were excited. We moved the ball, we just didn’t tackle real well.”

The lead stood up at the half as the Bryan County defense bent but never broke. The Knights, however, scored twice in the third quarter to take charge of the game although it wasn’t settled until midway through the fourth quarter.

Following a 52-yard kickoff return by Kamari Duncan to start the second half the Knights were in business at the Bryan County 25 and went up 14-7 on a 2-yard run by Duncan. The touchdown was set up when Martin found Gavin Johnson wide open at the nine on a fourth-and-seven.

The Redskins answered with a methodical nine-play 58-yard drive that ended with a 7-yard scoring run by Eli Koskela. The drive was highlighted by runs of 15 and 11 yards by sophomore Davion Butler.

Windsor Forest then pushed across touchdowns on its next two possessions with Duncan getting his third touchdown of the game on a 2-yard run and Martin sealing it on an 11-yard scramble with 7:55 to play.

Martin finished with 134 yards rushing and added 118 through the air as he completed 8-of-13 passes. Kameron Joyner had 65 yards to pace the Redskins who had a season high 229 yards on the ground. Cosey did not attempt a pass.

As the season nears the midway point the Redskins’ first four opponents are now a combined 14-3. Treutlen County (4-0), Portal (4-1), Islands (3-1) and Windsor Forest (3-1) are now all off to better starts than anticipated.

Bryan County’s six remaining games are against teams who are 9-17 highlighted by one loss teams Screven (3-1) and Calvary Day (3-1). The Redskins face the Cavaliers the week following their matchup with Screven. Surprisingly Metter (0-5) is winless as is Savannah High (0-4) and Savannah Christian (1-4) is off to its worst start in several seasons.

WINDSOR FOREST 28, BRYAN COUNTY 14

WINDSOR FOREST 6 0 15 7 --- 28

BRYAN COUNTY 7 0 7 0 --- 14

First Quarter

WF: Jameer Duncan 1 run (kick failed)

BC: Jamariyan Cosey 9 run (JD Roberson kick)

Third Quarter

WF: Duncan 2 run (Jayden Martin run)

BC: Eli Koskela 7 run (Roberson kick)

WF: Duncan 2 run (Brandon Davis kick)

Fourth Quarter

WF: Martin 11 run (Davis kick)