Redskins Upset Lincoln County with Huge Road Win
It’s safe to say that history has not been kind to Bryan County. The Redskins, who played their first football season in 1976, have never won their region or reached the second round of the state playoffs. And before last Friday night, Bryan County had never beaten an opponent ranked in the top 15.
In the four seasons following a modest 2016 campaign, the Redskins rapidly declined, particularly on offensive. They notched just one victory to 33 losses in that span and scored a mere 257 points in total. That stretch included an 0-7 showing in 2020 under former Warren County head coach Cherard Freeman.
Despite the lack of success, Bryan County stuck with Freeman for the next two seasons. That decision paid dividends in the form of a six-win season and a playoff berth by 2022. While the Redskins were blown out in three of their five losses last season, one result appeared relatively surprising: a three-point setback against 8th-ranked Lincoln County. That Red Devils squad would end up a state semifinalist, falling to eventual champion Bowdon.
Fast-forward eight months, when a rematch was in store: Bryan County traveled to Lincoln County to open the 2023 season, with the Red Devils now ranked fourth in the classification. Despite their billing as 21-point underdogs, according to the Maxwell ratings system, the Redskins dominated.
The defense held Lincoln County to fewer than 240 total yards and forced two key interceptions. On offense, Austin Clemons rushed for more than 150 yards, and he was one of three players to score on the ground. Quarterback Sean Kelly Hill completed all three of his passes, including one for a touchdown. The final tally? A 28-16 win for the Redskins and the school’s first-ever win over a highly ranked team.
Since the football program’s inception, Bryan County has faced 60 ranked opponents. Save for a forfeit win over Metter in 1996, the Redskins’ victory over Lincoln County on Friday marked their first top-15 win ever. The 28 points Bryan County scored in the upset is just five points shy of the school’s season-long total in 2019. A program that was once stuck in a rut of 34 losses in 35 games has now earned one of the most important wins in school history.
With a favorable schedule ahead, the Redskins may not be finished. Their next three matchups are against Treutlen, Wheeler County, and Portal, all teams Bryan County defeated last season. The Redskins may be well on their way to securing just their second top-10 ranking in school history (the first coming in 1992).
Beyond that, history can be made with a first-round playoff victory, also never accomplished in school history. Cherard Freeman and the Bryan County Redskins are playing the most confident football seen in Pembroke in nearly a decade, and their mission is not nearly completed.
