LINCOLNTON - Senior Tevin Gartrell rushed for 160 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Lincoln County Red Devils to a come-from-behind 35-22 scrimmage victory over Warren County here Friday night.
Gartrell carried the pigskin only 12 times, but broke scoring runs of 45 and 53 yards in the second half. He also caught a pass for 12 yards and ran for two points. Junior Josiah Jones rushed seven times for 25 yards.
Junior quarterback Trey Huff completed six of ten pass attempts for 84 yards with no interceptions. The transfer from Commerce showed good control of the offense, converting on 63% of third downs and one fourth down.
Franklin Brown, a junior, led the receiver corps with three catches for 59 yards that kept drives alive. Senior C. J. Zellars caught one pass for 13 yards.
Between the first and second quarters, those attending were asked to stand as Larry Campbell announced that Richard Goolsby would be honored with an "RG" decal placed on Red Devil helmets for the 2021 season. Goolsby supported the football program for decades until his tragic death in a highway accident earlier this year. He was on the sidelines during games to provide medical attention, but also supported the teams with food and in many other ways.
On an extremely hot, sweltering summer night, Lincoln County took the opening kickoff and marched down Buddy Bufford Field to score. Gartrell scored from two yards out with 6:14 remaining. Big plays on the drive were runs by Gartrell: a 14-yard run to the WC 25, and a seven-yard gain on 3rd-&-4 at the WC 9. The PAT kick went wide left leaving the Red Devils up 6-0.
The Devil Defense, aided by Screaming Devil penalties, forced a punt on the first Warren County possession. The ball rolled out of bounds at the WC 49.
A twelve-yard pass from Huff to Gartrell converted a 3rd-&-9 to the WC 36. Huff then found Brown for eleven yards. Two short runs and an incomplete pass left the home team facing 4th-&-8 at the 21. Huff found Brown open at the six, with Brown then gaining three after the grab. Gartrell slanted left into the end zone for the second touchdown of the night. The extra point kick went left, but the Red Devils led 12-0 with 11:17 remaining in the half.
The Screaming Devils rushed for two first downs to the LC 45. Their quarterback fumbled the ball on the next play, but scooped the pigskin and headed around the right corner. The busted play worked against the flow of the intended play and went the 45-yard distance. The visitors ran for two points but came up short with 7:30 left in the half.
A bad snap on third down led to the Devils' only punt attempt of the scrimmage, from their 31. The punt snap went over the punter's head, but he was able to cover at the five. Warren County scored from the three, and then added two points on a run. In just over three minutes the visitors had overcome a 12-point deficit to take a 14-12 lead.
With about four minutes remaining in the second quarter, the Red Devils went to work. A 13-yard pass from Huff to C. J. Zellars, followed by a five-yard run by Huff, moved the Red Devils to midfield. A great over-the-shoulder catch by Brown gained 30 yards to the WC 20. Three passes gained nothing before a fourth-down sack ended the threat.
Warren County extended that lead with a 17-yard run with 5:33 left in the third. The 12-play drive took more than half the quarter. The two-point run put the Screaming Devils up by 10, 22-12.
Gartrell ran for 15, two, and then broke two tackles at the line of scrimmage before outrunning a defender to paydirt. The 53-yard scoring run, plus Gartrell's two-point conversion run, cut the visitors' lead to two points, 22-20, with 4:20 left in the third quarter.
Warren County was penalized 15 yards for a personal foul on the PAT, with the Devils kicking from the WC 45. The kickoff reached the end zone. With kicks not being returned in this scrimmage game, the officials gave Warren the ball at the 30. The Lincoln County sideline (and supporters) vigorously disagreed with the call, resulting in a 15-yard penalty. A third-down sack forced the Screaming Devils to punt.
Starting from his 45, Gartrell gained five before a sack lost eight. A flag on the visitors moved the ball to the WC 45. Huff handed to Gartrell who went left behind a wall of blockers. He broke free and was gone. The PAT run gave the Red Devils a 28-22 lead early in the fourth.
The Red Devils and penalties again stopped Warren. The Devil Defense held the blue team to one yard when they needed 11 on fourth down. Taking over on the WC 30, Semaji Jenkins rushed for 18. Two plays later Jacoby Partlow scored from the four. Cameron Miller booted the PAT for a 35-22 advantage.
Chris Crite knocked the Screaming Devil down short of the first down to end Warren's next possession. The Red Devils were moving in Warren territory but a lost fumble ended the threat. The game ended during Warren County's next possession.
Lincoln County will host Bryan County to open the season August 27. This will be the Redskins first visit to Lincolnton, but their head coach knows the Red Devils well. Cherard Freeman was a standout player for the Red Devils before attending Georgia Southern. He was the head coach at Warren County for many years. The football will fly at 7:30.
THE STATS
LC WC
First Downs 16 11
Rushing 35/191 36/207
Passing 6/10/84/0 0/3/0/0
Punting 0/0 2/22
Penalties 3/25 11/80
Fumbles/Lost 3/1 2/0