Bryan County’s football season isn’t on life support yet, but it’s wheezing hard.

The Redskins (0-5) dropped their fifth game of the season in as many outings last Friday with a 21-0 loss at Warren County. And now they face their strongest test yet when Screven County visits Friday in the Region 3AA opener for both teams. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

The Gamecocks (4-1) have two of the best players in the state in running back A.B. Hilton and quarterback Demarko Ward and have won their last four after opening the season with a 17-14 loss at Class 6A South Effingham.

Screven County, a ground-oriented team, makes no secret about what it’s going to do.

The Gamecocks are going to control the clock, limit mistakes and physically wear you down. They are averaging 23.5 points per game while giving up only seven per outing. They beat McIntosh County, 13-0, last Friday, a week after they handed Claxton (5-1) its first loss, 42-6.

Bryan County, meanwhile, is having trouble breaking the 100-yard mark rushing in a game, something which is totally out of character for a Cherard Freeman-coached team. The Redskins are averaging just over 100 yards per game on the ground.

Hilton, a University of South Florida commit, has nearly 700 yards rushing after going for 1,602 on last year’s 12-1 region champion team. Ward ran for 1,165 yards last year and he and sophomore Andy Young are both over 300 this year.

His team’s inability to run the ball with any consistency has left Freeman perplexed and frustrated as he tries to get the ship righted.

Coming off its best ground game of the season in which it went for more than 200 yards against Windsor Forest the Redskins took a step back at Warren County, the veteran coach said.

“We are so up and down,” Freeman said. “We got to the 3-yard line and the 10 and couldn’t get it in. We had a couple of fourth-and-twos and couldn’t make it.

“When we played Windsor Forest although we lost, I felt good,” Freeman said. “Then at Warren County we went backwards. I can’t put my finger on it.”

Going into the season Freeman said he believed the team’s strength would be in its offensive and defensive lines. That obviously has not been the case as the Redskins have struggled in either converting on third and fourth down or getting stops on third and fourth downs.

The offensive issue is exacerbated by the fact the Bryan County offense is not very explosive so it can’t afford to have a no gain or a two or three-yard loss thus making getting a first down difficult.

“It’s frustrating because I know we’ve got a better football team and I know the work we put in,” Freeman said. “Screven is big up front. They’re a strong, physical team. It’s going to be a challenge.

“I’ve never been in a position where a team I was coaching couldn’t get two yards. Even my first year here when we didn’t win a game, we could get two yards.”

A bright spot for the Redskins last Friday was the play of senior linebacker Eli Koskela. Known for hitting a baseball hard the all-region linebacker is also a hard hitter on the football field.

“Eli had 19 tackles last Friday night,” Freeman said. “He played a really good game. We need everybody to step up Friday night.”