LUCEDALE — The day before pre-season practice began Brenn Moody reached out to George County head coach James Ray to let him know he was ready to step into the role of starting quarterback to lead the Rebels into the 2023 season.
Friday night at Gill-Martin Stadium, he delivered in his first varsity start as the Rebels used an impressive ground game and a bend but don’t break defense to defeat East Central 28-7.
The junior signal-caller rushed for 144 yards on 11 carries and had touchdown runs of 10, 18 and 82 yards as well as completing seven passes for an additional 84 yards on the night. Moody’s 82-yard scamper on the first drive of the second half but the Rebels up 28-0 and put the game out of reach.
East Central took the game’s opening kick off and following a three and out the Rebels struck quickly. A four-play 62-yard drive was capped off by a 52-yard run by Jacobe Street setting the stage for a big night for the 210-pound senior running back. Street, who spent most of last season battling a high ankle sprain, finished the night with 17 carries for 124 yards. As a team the Rebels rushed for 312 yards averaging over 8 yards per carry.
George County led 7-0 after one quarter of play.
STurnovers plagued both teams throughout the night, as George County turned the ball over three times including inside the East Central 20-yard line in the first half.
East Central’s Caleb Garner was intercepted by Marlin Odom in the first half stopping an early Hornet drive in Rebel territory. Moody’s first two touchdowns came in the second quarter with his last coming with under a minute to go sending the Rebels to the locker room at the half up 21-0.
The Hornet defense came out of the locker room and held Street to two yards on the first two plays of the second half, but that is when Moody’s scramble turned into his thirfd touchdown of the night and the lead was 28-0.
From that point on the Rebels would only run ninemore offensive plays the remainder of the game. East Central on the other hand ran 29 plays but could only crack the scoreboard on an 18-yard Ben Myrick run in the 3rd quarter. Myrick finished the night with 47 yards on 10 carries.
East Central used a trio of tailbacks and their run game churned out nearly 200 yards on the night but George County made sure the biggest majority of those yards were between the 20’s. Grey Bradley led the Hornets with 68 yards on 17 carries while Ben Myrick added 47 yards on 10 carries.
The Rebels defense, which did not allow any passing yards, was led by Layton Hyatt and Blain Green while Marlin Odom picked up an interception and a fumble recovery and Caison Little also picked up a fumble to halt a Hornet drive. Preston Robbins and Trey Beach had recoveries for the Hornets who look to get into the win column next week hosting a tough Pascagoula squad while George County travels up Highway 63 to face the Greene County Wildcats in the Battle for the Bell. Both games kick off at 7:00 pm.
