The Thomas County Central Middle School eighth-grade Yellow Jackets downed the Bainbridge Middle School eghth-grade Bearcats 27-6 in their annual homecoming game Thursday at Centennial Field,

It was also the eighth-grade Bearcats final game. They finished the season with a 2-3 record.

The loss evened the Bearcats’ season record with the Yellow Jackets at 1-1. They opened their season with a 14-8 Thursday, Sept. 1, season-opening victory over them at Central’s Jackets Nest Stadium.

On Thursday, Bainbridge outside linebacker Daquivious Grant intercepted a pass and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown with 2:33 left in the second quarter, to pull the Bearcats within a point at 7-6.

They tried to run in for the two-point conversion, but the Yellow Jackets came up to stop them short.

Another long Bearcats run in the fourth quarter got the ball inside the Yellow Jackets’ 10-yard-line.

Dalvin Spivie, a seventh grader playing up with the eighth-grade Bearcats, broke loose on a 26-yard run from the Thomas County 35 to the Thomas County 9, but they were not able to punch it across.

Eighth-grade Bearcats head coach Scott Starr said he thought his team progressed well this season.

“The young men worked hard this season,” Starr said, Friday morning. “I want to thank them and thank their parents for allowing us to work with them.”