South Georgia showdown: Bainbridge, Lee County bring plenty of high-level talent

LEESBURG — High school football coaches like to use the second week of the football season as a time to fix what went wrong in the season opener.

Other than a couple of “wild bounces” on special teams, Lee County head coach Dean Fabrizio didn’t have much to correct following last week’s 21-17 win over Mary Persons in the Corky Kell Classic at Mercer.

“Those were odd, quirky things that usually don’t happen,” Fabrizio said of a couple of lost muffs in the kicking game and a blocked field goal attempt returned for a touchdown. “But we covered those bases.”

Getting those issues from the opener resolved quickly allowed Lee County more time to prepare for Friday’s 7:30 p.m. home opener against a talented Bainbridge squad.

A 5-6 team a year ago following some key injuries, Bainbridge has the services of running back Dameon Pierce, a senior who was a consensus first-team all-state pick last year.

Pierce, who ran for 1,686 yards and 20 touchdowns last season, committed to Florida on Aug. 6 after decommitting from Alabama.

“He gives us a run-first mentality,” Bainbridge head coach Jeff Littleton said. “He’s very fast, very gifted at reading what the defense gives him. It all starts with him and the line up front.”

Littleton said Hudson Barber and Iran Brown give Bainbridge’s offensive line some senior leadership, while the defense is anchored by Georgia Southern defensive back commitment Zyon McGhee, middle linebacker Tre Story and junior defense end Roman Harrison, who is getting some collegiate looks of his own.

While this will be Bainbridge’s opener, the Bearcats started out the preseason with a high-level scrimmage opponent in Lowndes, which routed Valdosta in their rivalry game last week.

“They had a full game, while we had a scrimmage,” Littleton said. “Most teams improve from Week 1 to Week 2.”

Stopping Pierce will be the main goal for a Lee County defense that had a solid opener against Mary Persons.

The Trojans held Mary Persons to 139 total yards, less than a third of the 448 yards Lee County’s offense put up, and 10 first downs.

“Two years ago, they were in the semifinals,” Fabrizio said. “Last year, they got the injury bug, but they are healthy now. They definitely have formidable, good players. Their running back is elite, and there are a lot of other challenges for us.”