The eighth grade Bearcats had very little mercy for Thomas County Tuesday night with a 36-9 win in the middle school championship game at Centennial Field. The team has gone undefeated all six games this season.

Sixteen seconds into the game, running back Damian Pierce bolted around the left side of the Thomas County defense for a touchdown. The one-play touchdown drive set the tone for the rest of the game.

“This is what our goal was,” head coach Heith Maxwell said. “I am very proud.”

Maxwell said all season, the team knew they were good. The challenge was keeping everyone’s ego in check to stay humble and continue to learn.

“Getting ready for the next game was sometimes a challenge, because their knew they were good,” Maxwell said. “I’ve been there coach for two years now. I could not ask for a better group of boys. They’re not just good football players, they’re good men.”

Running back Tre Storey had a touchdown early in the game, but didn’t feel he played as well as he could have. Still, he’s proud of his team and the 6-0 season he experienced.

“It feels amazing,” Storey said. “I hope to do it again next year.”

Thomas County scored off a safety in the first half when the Bearcats punter stepped out of the end zone during a punt.

The Bearcats defense kept Thomas County from anywhere near the goal line.

A late game touchdown by Thomas County was the only six points they were able to throw on the scoreboard all game.

By that point, the Bearcats were in the clear with less than two minutes to go. The team counted down out loud as the final seconds ticked away on the clock.

“It feels great,” Pierce said. “We’re 13 and older and this is our last year together. We had to leave with a big bang, leave our mark in Bainbridge.”

Next year, Pierce and his teammates will be freshmen under high school coach Jeff Littleton. Pierce is excited to play and hopes the momentum continues for the next four years.

“Hopefully it’ll be the same thing for ninth grade,” Pierce said. “We go undefeated for the rest of our career and be state champions some day.”