PETTICOAT JUNCTION --- There was a feeling that it wouldn't be Silver Bluff's night when the Bulldogs were penalized on the game's first play from scrimmage.
The feeling intensified when South Aiken took its opening possession and drove down the field to score its first offensive points of the season. And it didn't get any better when Jamal Beal's 81-yard punt return for a touchdown was negated by an illegal block in the back.
Fortunately for Silver Bluff, those problems occurred in the first half. The Bulldogs were a much different team in the final two quarters, and they cruised to a 31-10 victory over the visiting Thoroughbreds on Friday night.
"We were awful in the first half. It wasn't one person," said Silver Bluff coach Al Lown, who rattled off a short list of offenders. "It was pathetic. Our defense kept us in it."
The Bulldogs (2-1) responded by scoring touchdowns on three of their first four possessions in the second half and returning an interception for another score.
"We had heard that their defense was the best in the area, and our defense kind of took that as a blow to the back," said Silver Bluff's Kendrick Garnett, who rushed for 127 yards and scored on touchdown runs of 10 and 38 yards.
South Aiken (0-3) did enter the game with a reputation for solid defense, and it kept Silver Bluff under wraps for the first half.
"We didn't play defense in the second half," South Aiken coach Robert Wrighten-berry said. "We didn't get in the right coverage. We ain't even lined up on the football right. We can't tackle anybody. There's no excuse for that whatsoever."
The Thoroughbreds ended nearly nine quarters of frustration on offense when Ben Donath kicked a 31-yard field goal with 3:23 remaining in the first quarter. The score was the first of the season for South Aiken, which had only registered two points on a safety in a loss to Aiken and was shut out by North Augusta.
Silver Bluff finally got on the scoreboard late in the first half. After recovering a South Aiken fumble on the 21-yard line, the Bulldogs had to settle for a 35-yard field goal by Kyle Mackey with 26 seconds to play.
After a South Aiken turnover to start the second half, Silver Bluff needed just six plays to find the end zone. Garnett burst up the middle from 10 yards out. Later in the quarter, after stopping South Aiken on downs, the Bulldogs padded their lead with a 31-yard scoring run by Khaloab Anderson.
South Aiken's Denzell Washington did find the end zone for his team's first touchdown of the year, but Silver Bluff countered with two more touchdowns to break the game open.
"In the second half we found some things, and it was real big for us to get up on them," Lown said. "Once we got up on them, I knew we were in good shape."
Reach John Boyette at (706) 823-3337 or john.boyette@augustachronicle.com.
SILVER BLUFF 31, SOUTH AIKEN 10
South Aiken 3 0 0 7 -- 10
Silver Bluff 0 3 14 14 -- 31
First quarter
SA--Ben Donath 31 FG, 3:23
Second quarter
SB--Kyle Mackey 35 FG, 0:26
Third quarter
SB--Kendrick Garnett 10 run (Mackey kick), 7:52
SB--Khaloab Anderson 31 run (Mackey kick), 3:16
Fourth quarter
SA--Denzell Washington 6 run (Donath kick), 4:48
SB--K. Garnett 38 run (Mackey kick), 3:18
SB--Anderson 27 interception return (Mackey kick), 3:02
SA.....SB
First Downs 10 11
Rushes-Yards 36-192 32-211
Passing Yards 26 80
Comp.-Att.-Int. 3-10-2 6-11-0
Fumbles-Lost 2-2 2-0
Punts-Yards 3-38 4-39
Penalties-Yards 0-0 8-65
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--South Aiken: Washington 15-133, Jeremy Alston 8-26, DeAnte Darden 6-23, Chris Johnson 5-10, Tanner Hawley 2-1. Silver Bluff: K. Garnett 13-127, Anderson 6-64, Eric Stokes 2-19, Andre Washington 2-6, Cordrea Tankersley 1-2, Frederick Garnett 4-(-2), Robert Green 1-1, Austin Pollock 2-(-6).
PASSING--South Aiken: Hawley 3-10-2 26. Silver Bluff: Pollock 6-11-0 80.
RECEIVING--South Aiken: Archie Adams 3-26. Silver Bluff: F. Garnett 2-35, Andre Washington 2-18, Jamal Beal 1-21, Eric Stokes 1-6.
PLAY OF THE GAME: Silver Bluff stuffed South Aiken on fourth-and-2 at the 32-yard line late in the third quarter. Two plays later, Khaloab Anderson raced 31 yards to put the Bulldogs up 17-3.
WHY SILVER BLUFF WON: The Bulldogs made adjustments at halftime and took advantage of South Aiken's miscues to blow open a tight game.
WHY SOUTH AIKEN LOST: The defense self-destructed in the second half, giving up several big plays.
STAR OF THE GAME: Kendrick Garnett , Silver Bluff. The senior tailback rushed for 127 yards and scored two touchdowns.
NEXT: Silver Bluff at Midland Valley, 7:30 p.m. Friday; Strom Thurmond at South Aiken, 7:30 Friday
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