Vidalia Indians Dominate Beach

Courtesy of VHS

The Vidalia High School Indian offense scored on every possession, and the defense held Beach of Savannah to just 74 total yards as they rolled over the Bulldogs 61-0 Friday night at Buck Cravey Field. With the win, the Indians moved to 1-1 on the young season, giving Rodney Garvin his first win as Vidalia’s head coach. “A cord of three strands is not easily broken,” said Garvin. “The kids banded together Friday night and decided to get it done. Physically and mentally strong as one. We took a step in the right direction Friday. Friday was a great day.” Garvin concluded.

The Indians racked up 420 yards of offense, with 349 coming on the ground. Antonio Barron led the way with 96 yards, a touchdown on the ground, another 28 yards receiving, and a touchdown for 128 total yards. Sophomore Wendell Simpson added 89 yards on two carries, including an 85-yard touchdown, and Jamarion Phillips scored two touchdowns with 52 yards rushing.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Indians did not allow Beach a first down until the 4th quarter with 11:00 minutes left in the game, and that came on a 15-yard penalty on the defense. The Indians swarmed and contained the Bulldogs all night, not allowing the Beach offense to cross mid-field until the first down in the 4th.

Phillips got the scoring started on a five-yard run on the opening drive, which accounted for 65 yards on nine plays and was kept alive on a tremendous throw by Jackson Berry and an even better catch by Carson Ricks on a 4th and 18 play from the Beach 36yard line. Following the PAT by Adam Crutchfield, the Indians led 7-0 with 8:13 to go in the opening quarter.

Two minutes and nine seconds later, Jackson Berry put the Indians up 13-0 on a 2-yard plunge, and with the PAT, it was 14-0 with 6:04 to go in the quarter.

The Indians got their 3rd score of the quarter with 1:57 to go when, on 4th and 19, Berry hit Barron on a 28-yard wheel route to make the score 21-0 after Crutchfield’s PAT.

For all practical purposes, the game was on ice from that point on, as the Indian defense refused to allow the Beach offense to move. The defense was aided by the kicking game of Lake Wright and the overage team, which kept the Bulldogs pinned deep in their territory all night.

Jamarion Phillips got his second score of the night on the first possession of the second quarter, on a 2-yard run to cap a 9-play 50-yard drive to make it 28-0 following a Lake Wright PAT.

Antonio Barron was the next to score for the Indians to make it 34-0. This time, it was on the ground from 6 yards out, following a 40-yard scamper by the senior to set up the score.

Alston Boles, who ended the night with 36 yards, got the final score of the half on a 23-yard sprint to close out the half at 41-0.

The remainder of the game was played with a running clock, but the Indians were able to get three more scores, including a 10-yard run from Deante Terrell, a 6-yard run by DJ Wallace, and Simpson’s 85yard sprint.

The 61 points by the Indians was the most by a Vidalia team in 20 years when the Indians scored 63 against Bryan County in 2003. It was also just the 3rd time in school history a Vidalia team has put up 60 or more points. The other was in 2002 when Vidalia beat Bleckley Co. 60-6.

The Indians will next face Pinewood next Friday night in Bellville. It will be just the second time a Vidalia team has faced the Patriots and the first on the road. The Indians defeated the Patriots 56-16 at Buck Cravey Field last year. Game time is set for 7:30 p. m.