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Mustangs can’t slow down Phoenix, fall 56-35 in football opener
SEHS mascot
The South Effingham Mustangs mascot didn't have much to cheer about in the first half of the football season-opener with New Hampstead. The offense came alive in the second half but SEHS lost 56-35 to New Hampstead on Thursday night at Pooler Stadium. (Photo by Mark Lastinger for the Effingham Herald.)

By Donald Heath

Special for the Effingham Herald


POOLER – Officials arrived at Pooler Stadium on Thursday night without a coin to flip as South Effingham and New Hampstead captains met at midfield to determine the kicking and receiving teams in their season-opening football game.

Eventually, someone from the sideline happily volunteered a coin.

The Phoenix won the toss, elected to receive and quarterback Rashawn “Money Man” Truell and his high-powered offense began their impressive night against the overwhelmed Mustangs.

South fell behind by 42 points before staging a rally against the liberally substituting host and falling 56-35.

“They got us pretty good throwing the football, but you have to hand it to (Rashawn) Truell, he’s a pretty good quarterback,” Mustangs coach Loren Purvis said. “At the end of the game, I told Coach (Kyle) Hockman, he has a special team.”

SEHS heads into the bye week with a lot to work on. New Hampstead’s offense scored five touchdowns during its first 18 plays and added a safety and a fumble return for a touchdown while building a 42-0 advantage just three minutes into the second half.

The Mustangs answered with five touchdowns during the final 19 minutes and forced the Phoenix starters back on the field when South closed within two scores, 42-27, with 5:40 left.

“We made a nice comeback in the second half, but we can’t pick and choose when we want to play,” SEHS middle linebacker Corbin McGuire said. “We got punched pretty good in the mouth in the first half and it took some leadership to come back.”

South finished with 379 yards of total offense – 289 on the ground and 90 through the air. Sophomore running back Khyran White had 116 of his team-leading 123 rushing yards in the second half.

McGuire, who was used as a wildcat quarterback, had two long runs – a 29-yarder in the first half and a 69-yarder in the second half – to finish with 106 yards on five carries.

Wide receiver Hayden Still opened the Mustangs’ scoring by hauling in a 73-yard strike from starting quarterback Lawton Bowen midway through the third quarter. 

Kadin Ward
South Effingham running back Kadin Ward (No. 15) eludes a New Hampstead defender for a short gain during the first half. The Mustangs lost to the Phoenix 56-35 on Thursday night in the season-opening football game at Pooler Stadium. (Photo by Mark Lastinger for the Effingham Herald.)
Kadin Ward (15 carries, 65 yards) sandwiched scoring runs of 8 and 17 yards around White’s 8-yard TD run to cut New Hampstead’s advantage to 42-27 with 5:40 left.

Quarterback JT Barkley added a 9-yard TD run to end South’s scoring.

“To fall behind 42-0 and still score 35 points, I’m proud of the kids’ fight,” Purvis said.

But New Hampstead’s first-half punch decided the outcome. Truell completed his first six passes and ended the opening half 9-of-10 for 141 yards and two touchdowns.

Wideout Kamari Maxwell, often running wide open in the secondary, had seven catches for 113 yards and a score. He added another touchdown on a jet-sweep run of 42 yards.

The two teams combined for 868 offensive yards and 91 points – 61 points in the second half. Four touchdowns were scored within nine plays in a 3:33 span of the fourth quarter.

New Hampstead, averaging nearly 13 yards a play, shredded the Mustang defense for 489 yards.

SEHS is back in action against Toombs County in the home opener on Aug. 30.

The Mustangs open region play at Lakeside on Sept. 13.

“We have to find out who we are and hopefully we do that before region play starts,” Purvis said. “Right now, I’m proud of the kids and the fight they give and I’m hoping that the second half gives us a spark.”