JASPER – South Greene’s road came to an end on Friday night after meeting with defending Class 2A State
Champion Marion County. The Rebels fell 35-0 in the second round of the Class 2A playoffs.
“They’ve got a great team. We knew we had to play really well. I told the boys if we were down seven, tied, or up seven at the end of the first quarter we’d have a shot and we did,” Rebels Head Coach Shawn Jones said. “I hate it for these seniors. This is the first time they’ve had a playoff win since they’ve been here. So proud of them. If (Marion County) doesn’t win state or at least get to the state championship this year I’ll be totally shocked because we just got beat by a heck of a football team.”
It was the Rebels first time back in the second round since 2022. They knew what they were up against when they walked into the facility’s gates. Defending champs, five time state champs, 10 wins, and a rowdy home crowd. The Rebels were overwhelmed on offense and couldn’t find a rhythm and three crucial turnovers haunted them on the scoreboard.
South Greene finished the year 8-4 (2-1) and finished with their sixth-straight winning season since Coach Shawn
Jones returned to the job.
Marion County accounted for 254 yards of offense. South Greene accrued 179 yards, but committed two
turnovers that hurt them the most. An interception returned for a touchdown, and a questionable fumble that was also returned for a touchdown turned into 14 points that South Greene couldn’t get back.
The Rebels received the opening kickoff and started strong with a first down, but all the energy soon faded away when they were short of the sticks and punted to Marion County.
The Warriors marched down the field 75 yards on a four-minute drive that resulted in a two-yard rushing touchdown by Mason Mays. The point after was true and Marion County led 7-0 with 4:00 left in the first.
South Greene could not move the ball and was forced to punt it back to Marion County. The Warriors had a short field in front of them and scored again in less than two minutes. Quincy Mills hauled in a 34-yard catch and was brought down at the two-yard line. That set up quarterback Zaiden Humphrey with a two-yard quarterback sneak on the first play of the second quarter to put Marion County ahead 14-0.
Things escalated and only got worse when a ball bounced off a South Greene receiver’s hands and into
the arms of Brayden Pickett for a 54-yard pick six. The Warriors then led 21-0 with 10:49 left in the second quarter.
South Greene gained some life with a first down by Tripp Neas on a screen pass and a deep back- shoulder catch from Noah Wright for 36 yards. A sack by Ashton Martin moved the Rebels back seven yards on third down and forced the field goal unit to come on. The kick was off the mark and the Rebels left with an empty possession.
The Rebels were fortunate enough to force an empty possession on defense. Freshman Trent Haynes got to the quarterback scrambling in the backfield and brought him down for a 10-yard loss.
The turning point in the game occurred on the following drive. South Greene quarterback Nash Rader appeared to throw an incomplete pass when he was hit from behind as he was at the apex of his throwing motion. The crew of officials did not think so and ruled the play a fumble. Marion County scooped up the loose ball and ran into the end zone for another defensive touchdown in the first half.
“To go up 28-0 on the fumble was just a bogus call. It was an incomplete pass.” Jones said.
South Greene trailed 28-0 at halftime.
The Warriors started the second half with a 14-yard rushing touchdown by Ashton Martin to extend their lead to 35-0.
Marion County was moving down the field and in position to score again before Simon Burns snagged the ball out of the air for an interception. Quincy Mills took the ball right back with an interception for the Warriors a few plays later. The Rebels turned them away again with Thomas Mayhew sacking the quarterback on fourth down.
South Greene’s season came to an end after a 35-0 loss to Marion County in the second round of the Class 2A Playoffs.
Nash Rader was 7-for-11 passing with 99 yards and had 58 rushing yards on 19 attempts. Tripp Neas had 17 rushing yards and 43 receiving yards.
Coach Jones spoke about his seniors as they stepped off the field one last time.
“There’s not a whole lot to say about them because everybody already knows how hard they play and they just left it all out there all the way down the line,” Jones said. “I’m super proud of the seniors and the legacy they left here at South Greene. We told them what it’s all about now is life and the decisions you make and what decides what kind of character you have and the legacy you leave. They left a big legacy at South Greene High School.”
