It’s a saying as old as the hills: where there’s a will there’s a way.

Bryan County’s football team had the will. No one would question that. But it took the Redskins a while to find the way一but once they did there was no stopping them as they rolled to a 35-14 win over Jenkins County Friday night at Redskins Field.

The War Eagles were a five-point favorite per the Maxwell power ratings and held the upper hand until Bryan County stunned them with two touchdowns in 27 seconds on back-to-back plays in the final minute of the first half.

Special teams were a big factor as both teams capitalized on kicking game miscues, Bryan County more so in the Region 3A-DII game. The Redskins (5-4, 4-3) are idle this week before ending the regular season at Metter (4-4, 3-3) next week needing a win to make the state playoffs.

Jenkins County quarterback Justin Wright got the game’s first touchdown on a 10-yard run on the first play of the second quarter.

Wright’s score was set up when the War Eagles (4-4, 3-3) got the first break of the game when punter Alex Morales got off a 52-yard kick to the Redskins 15. Bryan County, hampered by a holding call on a 12-yard run by Anddreas McKinney, was unable to move the ball and saw a  shanked punt by Gerome Lee put the War Eagles in business at the 17.

After three running plays netted seven yards Wright ran untouched to the end zone on a fourth down keeper.  The War Eagles made it 14-0 on their next possession when they went 66 yards on six plays with Wright hitting a wide-open Jamarious Luke on a 29-yard touchdown pass.

Then with 1:45 remaining in the half came the biggest momentum shift of the season for the Redskins who appeared to be doomed to a two-touchdown deficit at the break as Lee lined up to punt from his own 42.

The War Eagle returner fumbled the kick and Bryan County recovered at the 26 with 1:45 on the clock.

Ger’bravion Collins picked up 12 yards and after freshman quarterback Jamariyan Cosey fumbled the snap and lost two yards Collins, inserted at quarterback in the wildcat formation, swept the left side to score with 1:07 on the clock. Will Summerford kicked the extra point.

A one touchdown deficit at the half all of a sudden was looking pretty good but then it got even better.

On the ensuing kickoff War Eagles return man Pierre Williams got hit hard at the 30 with the ball popping straight up in the air. Collins caught it without breaking stride and got to the four-yard line before being downed.

On the first play from scrimmage Collins bulled his way into the end zone. Lined up to kick the extra point, Coach Cherard Freeman elected to go for two when Jenkins was offside. The run failed but with 40 seconds to go in the half it was an entirely different game.

The shell-shocked War Eagles never got untracked in the second half as the Bryan County defense dominated, limiting them to 76 yards on 26 plays.

Junior defensive lineman Corey Joiner, who plays with a bulldog tenacity and intensity, set the tone for the Redskins defense on the first series of the second half when he twice blew away the man in front of him for negative plays.

Jenkins County never seemed to recover from that start and the Redskins finally got the lead for good on the first play of their second possession when Mckinny, who finished with 112 yards, streaked 61 yards.

While the War Eagles were unable to mount any serious scoring threats Bryan County extended its lead in the fourth quarter when Mckinny scored on runs of 11 and 13 yards.

Physically Bryan County, as it likes to do, simply pounded Jenkins County into submission in the second half as it controlled the line of scrimmage. Collins had 83 yards rushing and Eli Koskela added 42 as the Redskins piled up 226 yards on the ground.

JENKINS COUNTY    0  14  0  0  -- 14

BRYAN COUNTY       0  13  8  14 – 35

Second quarter:

JC:  Justin Wright 10 run (Alex Morales kick)

JC:  Jamarius Luke 29 pass from Wright (Morales kick)

BC:  Ger’bravion Collins 16 run (Will Summerford kick)

BC:  Collins 4 run (Summerford kick)

Third Quarter

BC:  Anddreas McKinny 61 run (Collins run)

Fourth Quarter

BC:  McKinny 11 run (Summerford kick)

BC:  McKinny 13 run (Summerford kick)