That Warner Robins was going to win was never in doubt. That it was as contested as it was by a team, South Effingham, that had won only one ballgame and came in as a No. 4 seed, was a bit of a head scratcher.
The Demons won the game 30-17, but only led 7-0 after one quarter and by four, 14-10, with about two minutes left in the first half.
Eli Mashburn ended up kicking a field goal to close out that aforementioned second half and then a score and two more field goals by him helped Warner Robins pull away, but again see: “as contested as it was …”
South Effingham attempted three onside kicks in the first half. Warner Robins recovered the first of those on its own 49. It picked up a first down, but 20 yards on three penalties left it where it started and forced it to punt.
The Mustangs then went three-and-out and gave it back. The Demons took their second possession on the 46 but failed to connect on four-straight passes and returned the favor.
South Effingham did pick up a first down its ensuing possession, but didn’t want it either – giving it back on yet another punt.
Warner Robins took that one on the 20 and finally scored. It started with a Jarius Burnette run of 24 for a first down and ended with a Burnette run of one for the touchdown. In between he – finishing the night with 211 yards rushing on 16 carries and 94 yards on two passes to go with three touchdowns – also had a run of 17 and one. Eli Mashburn made it 7-0 with the point after.
The Mustangs again picked up a first down on their next possession but again punted. Warner Robins, on three runs got it to the 26, but then came up short on a fourth-and-two to turn it over on downs.
South Effingham, as the game entered the second quarter, then picked up two first downs, but remained in punt mode.
The Demons took their next offering on the 20 and scored on the second play from scrimmage. That was via a Dylan Fromm pass to Burnette started short and ended up as 76 yards. Mashburn made it 14-0.
It appeared business as usual for the Mustangs on their next possession, as they again picked up a first down, but again lined up to the punt. The difference this time, however, was Warner Robins was unable to field it. South Effingham recovered on the 11 and turned it into an Anthony Beck field goal of 22 yards.
After the Demons missed a long field goal, the Mustangs struck again. They took the ball on the 20, and this time after picking up three first downs, scored when Jeremiah Callaway found Chris Glisson on an eight-yard pass. Beck made it 14-10.
Warner Robins answered that with a 12-yard field goal by Mashburn as the first-half clock ticked down to 15 seconds.
South Effingham received the ball to start the second half. This time it picked up three first downs before being faced with a fourth-and-six. It lined up to punt but then faked and instead went for a pass. It was incomplete giving it to the Demons on their own 41. Burnette then added his third score on a 59-yard run on the first play from scrimmage.
That made it 24-10.
It appeared the Demons finally had their opportunity to put the visitor away on the Mustangs’ next possession. Jabari Miller intercepted a pass to give them the ball on the Warner Robins 34, but four plays later, the Demons returned the favor and also gave up an interception.
South Effingham still had to punt.
From there it was mostly Mashburn. He kicked his first field goal with just a little over 11 minutes left to play. It was from 37 yards out.
He missed a much longer one after that, but a possession and fumble by the Mustangs later, booted another from 31 yards out. That made it 30-10.
South Effingham made its last score – granted it was against second- and third-stringers – as time ran out.
Next up for the 11-0 Demons will be Eagle’s Landing (7-4), which beat Whitewater 45-3.
MCDONALD’S OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME JARIUS BURNETTE. PAPA JOHN’S DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME JABARI MILLER.
