The Bainbridge Bearcats used a strong as well rope rushing attack and a stingy defense to defeat Crisp County Friday night 35-10.  With the win, the Bearcats are now 5-0 on the season and off to the best start of any Bearcat team in nearly 30 years, since 1986 when the team started the season 7-0.

Bearcat sophomore running back Dameon Pierce had a huge performance, finishing the night with 256 yards rushing on 26 carries and five touchdowns.

After forcing a Crisp County punt on the Cougars first offensive series of the game, the Bearcats took over on their own 46-yard line. On first down, sophomore running back Dameon Pierce scored from 54 yards out with 8:40 remaining in the first quarter. The PAT attempt by senior kicker Evan Oldaker was no good. Oldaker was injured on the attempt and was unable to play the remainder of the game.

Later in the first half, Pierce scored again from 16 yards and then followed with a successful two-point conversion to extend the Bearcats lead to 14-0 with 6:12 remaining in the first half.

Late in the first half, with 11 seconds remaining, Crisp County’s Brandon Thompson kicked a 29-yard field goal to cut the Bearcat lead to 14-3 at halftime.

The Crisp County defensive secondary was intent to not let Bearcat senior receiver Tyler Storey, entering the game as the third leading receiver in Georgia with 531 receiving yards, have a big night.

“They double teamed Tyler and they jammed our receivers at the line of scrimmage and we couldn’t get off a few jams. I give Coach (Felton) Shelton and his staff a lot of credit for having their team ready to play,” said Bearcat head coach Jeff Littleton.  “But that is something we have to work on.  Pierce had 256 yards rushing tonight, so if teams are going to do that, we have to be able to run the ball and we proved that we could tonight.”

Crisp County received the second half kickoff and the Bearcat defense, led by leading tacklers Kerenski Williams and Jordan Fleming, forced a punt early in the third quarter.

On the Bearcats first possession of the second half, Pierce scored on an eight-yard run and Blake Green converted the point after to make the score 21-3.

Again, the Bainbridge defense forced a three and out and the Bearcats took over on their own 26-yard line. After a 46-yard run by Pierce and a 18-yard pass from quarterback Brent McLaughlin to Zyon McGee, the Bearcats had the ball first and goal from the two-yard line.

Pierce scored from the two and with Green’s PAT, the Bearcat lead stood at 28-3 with 5:06 left in the third quarter.

But, Crisp County cut the lead to 28-10 when Aquarian Coley scored from one-yard out with seconds remaining in the third quarter.

Later in the fourth quarter, Storey, playing defense, intercepted a Cougar pass and returned it 25 yards to the Cougar 30 yard line. Three straight rushes by Pierce led to a 13-yard score for Pierce’s fifth score of the night with 6:16 left in the game. Green’s PAT was again good to make the score 35-10.

“The offensive line worked real hard during the summer to have nights like this,” said Bearcat senior center Curtis Brown, “Its special when our running backs have big nights and this night was special.”

Next week begins sub-region play for the Bearcats as they travel to play Americus-Sumter.