[BRANDON, MS] The Terry (HS) Bulldogs started off region play Friday night against the #1 team in the state, the Brandon (HS) Bulldogs, on the road. After the opening night finished, the Terry Bulldogs went down in defeat to Brandon 41-13.
Going into this ball game, the odds were stacked high against Terry. Brandon entered the game on top of the Mississippi rankings and was coming off of a bye week. Terry had just taken a disappointing 48-6 blowout loss at home to the Poplarville Hornets.
At Brandon High School, it was homecoming night with ceremony proceedings going before the game. The game started at 7:30 PM at the seven-year-old $9.2 Million dollar Bulldog Stadium. The weather was fair, with temperatures at around 75 degrees in Brandon.
The Terry Bulldogs shocked fans at the beginning of the game, forcing two fumbles on the first two drives from a Brandon team that had only fumbled once in the first three games.
Terry capitalized on the turnovers on their third drive, with Sharonsky Johnson punching in an 8-yard touchdown run. Johnson had to sit out against Poplarville with a mild ankle sprain, but he was back in action against the Brandon Bulldogs.
Brandon then showed why they are the #1 team in the state. The Bulldogs responded with a 55-yard bomb from Landon Varnes to Lester Miller to tie the game at 7. Brandon then surprised Terry with an onsides kick that was successful. Brandon capitalized on that as well, with Nate Blount running in for a touchdown at the beginning of the second quarter.
Terry then attempted to answer. But on third down, Terry quarterback Jordan Magee fumbled and the ball was recovered by Brandon at the Terry 3-yard-line. This resulted in Nate Blount easily marching into the end zone to give the Brandon Bulldogs a 21-7 lead.
Terry then responded with an impressive drive that ended with Jordan Magee connecting with senior wide receiver O.J. Marshall for a touchdown in the back of the end zone to cut the lead to 21-13 since the extra point was missed following the score.
However, Terry left 1:32 left on the clock for the half. Brandon then marched down the field in four plays that finished with Landon Varnes connecting with Lester Miller again to take a 28-13 lead at the break.
The second half was controlled completely by Mississippi’s top team. They took Terry’s best shot in the first half and then cruised in the second half to a 41-13 victory to kick off region play.
Brandon junior quarterback Landon Varnes finished 20 for 28 passing for 328 yards and three touchdowns. Lester Miller was the top target with 174 yards receiving and three touchdowns.
The top two performers for Terry was O.J. Marshall and junior linebacker Amarrien Bailey. Marshall finished the game with 6 receptions for 91 yards and a touchdown. Amarrien Bailey finished with 16 tackles for the Bulldogs.
Sophomore quarterback Jordan Magee threw 15 for 25 with one touchdown and one interception.
“Jordan had his best throwing game of the season in my view,” Rod McKee, quarterbacks coach for the Terry Bulldogs noted. “As a sophomore, he can perform well against the best of teams, and he showed that Friday night.”Terry head coach Kris Thigpen said he liked the effort his team put on the field Friday night. But he also noted that his team needed improvement. “We’re gonna have to run the ball effectively, and though we did a good job defensively against the run, we did not effectively run the football.”
The Bulldogs had more bad news after the game. Senior wide receiver Nick Kelly went out of the game and did not return. MRI results came back and revealed that Kelly had suffered an ACL tear. He is out for the season. “I just hate it for the kid.” Thigpen lamented. “He is one of those guys who does what you ask of him to do, doesn’t complain about anything….I just hate it for him.”
The Terry Bulldogs (3-2)[0-1] will host the Northwest Rankin Cougars on Friday night, the 30th, at home. It will be homecoming night at Terry High School.
The Brandon Bulldogs (4-0)[1-0] will head to Vicksburg to take on the Warren Central Vikings next week.
