Camden County beats Lee County

LEESBURG — The Lee County Trojans lost a hard fought region contest 17-13 to undefeated and seventh-ranked Camden County Friday night at Trojan field.

The loss put a serious dent in Lee County’s postseason hopes. With Valdosta’s 17-7 upset of Lowndes in the Winnersville Classic, the Trojans must beat Valdosta next Friday at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium and hope that Tift County can beat Lowndes for the Trojans to earn the fourth and final seed from Region 1-AAAAAA.

Lee County had its chances in the fourth quarter but couldn’t close.

With 7:28 to play in the game trailing 17-13, sophomore quarterback Jase Orndorff led a 13-play drive that eventually stalled on the Camden County 23 with 4:14 remaining.

When the ball turned over on downs, the Wildcats (9-0, 4-0 Region 1-AAAAAA) went three and out and punted back to Lee County with 4:14 remaining and the ball on the Camden 49.

Penalties and sacks pushed Lee County (6-3, 1-3) back to its 35 where Orndorff faced a fourth and 35 to keep the game alive with just over one minute to play. Landon Brown broke open across the middle and Orndorff hit the mark, but the play only picked up 34 yards leaving the Trojans one yard and 59 seconds away from a major upset.

The score was tied at the half as the Lee County defense played stellar, swarming the Wildcat ground game behind a monumental effort from junior defensive tackle Aubrey Solomon and senior linebackers Cole Maxwell and Tre’Vonte Grace.

Twice in the first half, the unit stopped Camden County scoring drives by a matter of inches.

With 15.4 seconds to play in the second quarter, the Wildcats had the ball third-and-goal from the Lee County 9 when Camden County senior quarterback Antonio Hamilton was harassed by Solomon and Grace forced a quick throw to senior running back Harrison Poole, who was hauled down inches from a score by Maxwell, Nui Misajon and a host of Trojans to keep the game knotted at 7-all.

Orndorf engineered a 10-play, 63-yard scoring drive in the second quarter. The crafty quarterback used five different receivers, hitting senior Rakeem Lewis, sophomores Kermit Solomon and Demerious Milton for short gains.

Then Orndorf found junior Giavonte Daniels for a gain of 13. Two plays later from the Camden 33, Orndorf hit Brown in the end zone with 6:25 to play in the second quarter. Senior kicker Zac Miller hit the point after and Lee County had the Wildcats knotted at 7-7.

In the fourth quarter, after a wild series of events, Milton scored from four yards out with 8:50 to play. To set up the score first, Maxwell blocked a punt which the Trojans William Bryant recovered at the Wildcat 20.

Three plays later, Orndorff was picked off for the second time in the contest. Then Hamilton fumbled the ball back to Lee County.

Orndorff hit Anthony Tupper for 15, then Milton cleaned up the drive. Zac Miller’s point after attempt was blocked.