Coach Ed Pilcher’s Bainbridge High School Bearcats hard fought 21-14 first-round Class AAAA playoff loss to the Ware County High School Gators in Waycross, Ga., brought to an end one of the most successful seasons in Bainbridge High School Bearcats football history.

The team ended the season with an 8-3 overall record and a 5-2 record and third-place finish in Region 1-AAAA.

The following is a game-by-game review of the Bearcats’ season.

 

Week 1 — Friday, Aug. 26

Bainbridge 16, Early County 14

Junior linebacker B.J. Cheatem had a couple of big late defensive plays to seal the Bearcats’ 16-14 victory at Centennial Field. He first intercepted a fourth quarter pass, and then caused a fumble. In all, the Bearcats’ defense created five turnovers.

 

Week 2 — Friday, Sept. 2

Bainbridge 17, Cairo 14

After a scoreless first quarter, the Syrupmakers took a 7-0 lead when Terrell Cason ran 29 yards for a touchdown and Taylor Donalson kicked the extra point. The Bearcats’ offense got going on the ensuing drive, which ended with Terry Lewis running 7 yards off the left side for a touchdown and Daniel Provence kicking the extra point to tie it up 7-7. Provence’s 43-yard field goal as time expired in the first half gave the Bearcats a 10-7 halftime lead.

 

Week 3 — Friday, Sept. 9

Bainbridge 23, Westover 20 (3 OT)

Junior running back Terry Lewis had the second-most single-game rushing yards in school history Friday, Sept. 9, at Hugh Mills Memorial Stadium in Albany, Ga., during a two-touchdown performance. He finished with 258 rushing yards, helping lead the Bearcats to a 23-20 triple-overtime victory over the Westover Patriots.

 

Week 4 — Saturday, Sept. 24

Northside-Warner Robins 31, Bainbridge 0

Following an open date, the Bearcats traveled to Warner Robins for an afternoon Region 1-AAAA game against the Northside-Warner Robins Eagles.

The Bearcats had their moments in the game. One of them came in the second quarter when senior defensive back Rodney Glenn returned a second quarter interception 92 yards for an apparent touchdown, but the score was nullified by a blocking-in-the-back penalty.

 

Week 5 — Friday, Sept. 30

Bainbridge 35, Hardaway 0

Junior running back Terry Lewis had 23 carries for 155 yards and touchdown runs of 34 and 17 yards, leading the Bearcats to a 35-0 Region 1-AAAA victory over Hardaway, at Centennial Field.

Fellow junior running back Damian Bouie had 15 carries for 75 yards and touchdown runs of 7 and 6 yards. The Bearcats’ defense, led by senior defensive lineman Shammai Wilburn and senior defensive back Rodney Glenn with key interceptions, held the Hardaway offense to just 74 total yards.

 

Week 6 — Friday, Oct. 7

Bainbridge 30, Northside-Columbus 7

The Bearcats’ offense, defense and special teams all contributed to their 30-7 Region 1-AAAA victory over Northside-Columbus at Centennial Field. The offense was led by junior running back Damian Bouie who had 26 carries for 66 yards, averaged 6.4 yards a carry and scored two touchdowns. His backfield running mate, junior Terry Lewis, had 16 carries for 60 yards, averaged 3.8 yards a carry and scored a touchdown. Senior quarterback Quincy Fortson also did his part, picking up 51 yards on 11 carries, averaging 4.6 yards a carry and scoring a touchdown.

 

Week 7 — Saturday, Oct. 15

Bainbridge 28, Houston County 24

The Bearcats returned to Warner Robins on Oct. 15 for a Saturday night Region 1-AAAA game against Houston County. Junior running back Damian Bouie’s 97-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run and Daniel Provence’s extra point kick gave the Bearcats a 28-24 come-from-behind victory.

 

Week 8 — Friday, Oct. 21

Warner Robins 14, Bainbridge 10

The Warner Robins Demons edged the Bearcats, 14-10, in the homecoming game at Centennial Field.

Leading the offensive attack again for the Bearcats was their junior running back tandem of Terry Lewis and Damian Bouie. Lewis had 17 carries for 56 yards and Bouie had 11 carries for 53 yards.

Senior quarterback Quincy Fortson completed four of 12 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown.

 

Week 9 — Friday, Oct. 28

Bainbridge 60, Lee County 41

The Bearcats outscored the Lee County Trojans 34-7 in the second half in Leesburg, to overcome an eight-point halftime deficit and post a 60-41 Region 1-AAAA victory. They were led again by junior running backs Terry Lewis and Damian Bouie. Lewis picked up 116 yards and scored two touchdowns and Bouie picked up 81 yards and scored one touchdown. The victory clinched a playoff berth.

 

Week 10 — Friday, Nov. 4

Bainbridge 27, Thomas County Central 24 (OT)

Senior quarterback Quincy Fortson threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Rodney Glenn, to give the Bearcats a regular- season-ending 27-24 Region 1-AAAA overtime victory over Thomas County Central. The win gave the Bearcats third place in the region.

 

Week 11 — Friday, Nov. 11

Ware County 21, Bainbridge 14 (Class AAAA playoffs)

The Bearcats built a 14-7 lead on a 3-yard Damian Bouie first-quarter touchdown run, a 65-yard Bouie third-quarter touchdown run and Terry Lewis’s two-point-conversion run, before falling behind and losing, 21-14.