D.J. Pollard breaks away for one of his two touchdowns against ECI.
By Steve Carter
Holding a slim 19-15 lead in the game, the Irwin County Indians put not one, but two goal line stands, to defeat the ECI Bulldogs Friday night in Swainsboro.
The 19-15 win puts the Indians into state public school Class A state football championship game for the second straight season. Irwin will face a familiar foe, the Clinch County Panthers, for the title at 1 p.m. Friday at the Georgia Dome.
After Irwin went ahead on a 35-yard pass from Zach Tolar to DJ Pollard with 8:04 left in the game, ECI took the ensuing kickoff.
On a 3rd and 16 play, Bulldog quarterback Rhett Gay hit David Durden for a miraculous 42-yard pass play as Durden outjumped an Irwin defender to make the catch.
Using the momentum from that play, ECI drove to the Irwin 12. But the Indians held in downs and got the ball back.
But Irwin fumbled on the first play and ECI recovered to give themselves a fresh set of downs at the Irwin 10.
On a 4th and goal from the 7, Gay scrambled and appeared to hit Durden on a sliding catch for a go-ahead touchdown with just a 1:27 left in the game.
However after a conference it was correctly ruled that Durden never had possession nullifying thw touchdown call. Irwin then ran the clock out for the win.
Irwin's DJ Pollard had an incredible night as he rushed 16 times for 182 yards, scoring the game's first touchdown on a 67-yard run.
He also caught two passes for 51 more yards, including the before-mentioned touchdown pass. That 4th-and-4 play saw quarterback Zach Tolar scramble, reversing field once, before hitting Pollard who then raced for the touchdown.
Tolar scored Irwin's other touchdown on a 2-yard run.
Irwin ended the game with 312 yards, compared to 355 for ECI.
The Bulldogs rushed for 147 yards in the first half, but only managed 8 in the second half on 13 carries.
Gay threw for 190 yards, but several Irwin defenders sacked and pressured him all night, especially in the second half.
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Posted by Tiftarea Sports on Friday, December 4, 2015
