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The Bainbridge Bearcats fell to the Tift County Blue Devils 17-14 on Thursday night in a hard-fought contest. The game got off to a rocky start for the Bearcats, who found themselves trailing early after the Blue Devils executed a swift six-play, 93-yard drive that culminated in a 41-yard touchdown pass. Tift County added another score just before halftime, giving them a 14-0 lead at the break.

Bainbridge struggled offensively in the first half, managing only 22 yards on their first five possessions, all of which ended in punts.

The Blue Devils extended their lead in the second half with an eight-play, 49-yard drive, capped off by a 33-yard field goal to make it 17-0. The Bearcats finally found their rhythm, responding with a lengthy 71-yard drive that ended with a 15-yard touchdown run by Vontrey Willingham.

The Bearcats’ defense stepped up in the final quarter, forcing Tift County to punt on consecutive possessions. Bainbridge’s offense capitalized on this defensive effort with a sustained drive that concluded with a 1-yard touchdown run by Markavian Johnson-Smith, narrowing the score to 17-14 with 2:29 remaining in the game.

Despite their efforts, Bainbridge was unable to stop the Blue Devils from running out the clock, sealing the win for Tift County. The loss drops the Bearcats to 0-4 on the season. Nevertheless, Bainbridge showed resilience in the second half, and they’ll look to build on that momentum in their upcoming game against Thomas County.