Red Devils fall to Lamar County, but live to fight again

BARNESVILLE — When the Red Devils limped out of here Friday night, it looked like they might be walking off a football field for good. Danarri Brown went from dependable to determined to dejected, having poured heart, soul and leg into trying to extend Jackson’s season into the Class AAA playoffs.

The Red Devils hung with Lamar County for a scoreless first quarter, then watched two things — the Trojans pull away for a 32-7 victory and the Georgia High School Association playoff bracket online.

Despite losing to Lamar County for the sixth consecutive meeting, Jackson (4-6 overall, 3-4 in Region 2-AAA) got the help it needed elsewhere across the state, with victories by Mary Persons, South Atlanta, and Lumpkin County, among others. The GHSA computer, thus armed with all the information it needed, on Saturday awarded the Red Devils Class AAA’s final playoff berth, opposite top-seeded Appling County (10-0).

Coach Thomas Clark learned how the brackets fell in a Zoom call about 3:15 on Saturday afternoon.

“It’s always good when you make the playoffs,” Clark said. “I knew that we were at the bottom.”

The Red Devils were rewarded for playing a tough schedule, but like most teams still playing in November have paid a physical price for it. Brown, beat up as he was, still ground out 77 yards on 16 carries, but was kept out of the end zone for only the second time all season.

The Jackson defense did what it wanted — limiting Lamar’s running game — but the Trojans thwarted their strategy by scoring three touchdowns on passes. Clark was nevertheless pleased with their effort.

Jackson’s lone touchdown came in the fourth quarter on a Bo Hamby pass that appeared to be tipped by Lamar County D’corian Sparks and Joshua McDade and fell into the hands of sophomore Jadon Marshall for a 44-yard touchdown.

Lamar County was plenty tough on the Red Devils, but Jackson hasn’t faced anybody quite as strong as Appling, a perennial powerhouse that dresses like the Georgia Bulldogs and has advanced to the semifinals three times in the past six years. But surprising as it may sound, Appling County never has won a state championship and is on a mission to change that.

The Pirates, who have outscored their opponents 392-67 this season, reached the semis most recently in 2024, then were forced to forfeit 10 victories because of “recruiting and undue influence” and “allowing an ineligible transfer student to participate,” according to an Atlanta Journal Constitution article. It made Appling County one of the few teams to officially go 0-14 and led to coach Jordan Mullins being dismissed.

So, the Red Devils will make the 156-mile trek southeast to Jimmy Swain Stadium in Baxley as one of five teams Region 2-AAA sends to the playoffs, with region champion Callaway, Northeast-Macon, Lamar and Pike County also qualifying.

The Red Devils will make a stop at Southern Pines Regional Park in Dublin, which is a little more than halfway to the destination. They’ll have a walk through, eat a meal at a restaurant in Laurens County and then take on the biggest challenge of their season.

If the Red Devils were to pull off the upset of the playoffs, they would have a chance at a second-round rematch with Lamar, which is the No. 16 seed and hosts No. 17 Worth County.

“We’ll go on and do our best,” Clark said.