Congratulations to the Bainbridge Middle School seventh and eighth grade Bearcat football teams and their coaches on winning the Southwest Georgia Middle School League championships last week.

Coach Blake Carruthers’ seventh grade Bearcats beat Cairo’s Washington Middle School seventh grade Tigers 12-6 in overtime at Cairo High School’s West Thomas Stadium to win the seventh grade championship.

Coach Heith Maxwell’s eighth grade Bearcats beat the Thomas County Central Middle School eighth grade Yellow Jackets 36-9 at Centennial Field to win the eighth grade championship.

The seventh grade team finished 4-3 and was led on offense by quarterback Alex Baker, tailback Tristen Love, fullback Timothy Allison, tight end Bowen Dodson, who plays end on defense, and wide receiver Alex Baker.

Strong seventh grade defensive players in addition to Dodson, included end Anthony Brooks, tackles Aaron Hamilton and Bradley Mitchell, inside linebacker Edward Jones and outside linebackers Roman Harrison and Ahmad Moody and cornerbacks Frederick Thompson Kadeem Goss and Kenya Hughes.

Among those leading the way for the eighth grade Bearcats on offense were quarterback Caleb Boutwell, running backs Damean Pierce, who also plays linebacker on defense, and Tre’ Story, who also played inside linebacker on defense.

Strong eighth grade Bearcats defensive players included ends Devin Morris and Clifford Kinder, tackles Kontavis Buggs and Walt Burrell, and inside linebackers Will Kelley and Tre Storey, outside linebackers Markel Broadnax and Dontavious Kinder cornerbacks James Dismuke and Zion McGhee and safety Caleb Boutwell.

The seventh grade team finished the season 4-3 and the eighth grade finished a perfect 7-0.

The seventh grade team scored 94 points and allowed 62 points. The eighth grade team scored 236 points and allowed 57 points. The undefeated eighth grade Bearcats opened the season with a 30-0 victory over Thomas County Central.

Their final five victories were 36-12 over the Brooks County Middle School eighth grade Trojans, 32-12 over Cairo’s Washington Middle School eighth grade Tigers, 22-0 over Thomas County Central again, 46-12 over Thomasville’s Douglas Middle School eighth grade Bulldogs 34-12 over Washington again. They scored 236 points and allowed just 57 points.

The seventh grade Bearcats, who opened the season with a 20-0 loss to Thomas County Central, followed it up with a 30-8 victory over Douglas and an and 8-0 loss to Washington. In their final two regular season games they shut out Thomas County Central 14-0 and Douglas 32-0.

I am really looking forward to covering all the fine seventh and eighth grade Bearcats football players when they become a part of Bearcat head coach Jeff Littleton’s Bainbridge High School football program.

Our middle school and varsity coaches did an outstanding job this season.

Joining coach Carruthers on the seventh grade staff were coach Don Chip Arial and coach Patrick Clark. Joining coach Maxwell on the eighth grade staff were coach Ed Willis and coach Rickey McCullough.