What We Saw: Bluffton 21, May River 6

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For the first time since 2017, Bluffton's crosstown rivalry runs green.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And it was an unrelenting Bobcat defensive effort that got the job done.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One week after <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1360121' first='Tanner' last='Macy'] </strong>went for 258 yards and three touchdowns on the ground against Colleton County, the May River standout was held to just 58 yards on 21 carries Friday thanks to Bluffton's locked-in front as the Bobcats downed their rivals at home 21-6.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Sharks came out strong on the road on their first possession, as Macy found some running room to help set up a 33-yard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1734818' first='Hudson' last='Tanner']</strong> field goal. But that success in the ground game wouldn't last. Bluffton stole the momentum on its own opening drive with a strong dose on the ground from senior <strong>Jake Ridgway</strong>, who burrowed in from the 2-yard line to cap a nine-play possession. It was an impressive night on the ground all around for the Bobcats, who totaled 197 rushing yards on 33 attempts with four different players adding 30 yards or more. It wouldn't have been possible without an excellent night from the offensive line, led by senior veteran <strong>Chamber Eldridge</strong>. Gregory turned to more of the passing game in the Cats' second scoring drive, as the lethal <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='790404' first='Owen' last='Bayes']</strong> to <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='988249' first='Brandon' last='Bryant'] </strong>connection heated up for 24 yards. They hooked up again for a five-yard screen pass, as Bryant made multiple Shark defenders miss as he reached towards the pylon. It was the first of two touchdown receptions for Bryant on his 8-catch and 97-yard night, showing his game-breaking quickness and elusiveness to pick up extra yards after the grab.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>May River found an opportunity to respond in the second half when Bayes was picked off by junior cornerback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1575332' first='AJ' last='Hamilton']</strong> at the Bluffton 40, but Bluffton's stout defense locked down Macy and company to force a field goal. The momentum surged back to Bayes, who let Bryant do the rest as he turned on the jets for a gorgeous 51-yard screen-pass touchdown with fantastic blocking in front of him. It was a well-executed offense all night, with Bayes, Ridgway, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='208337' first='Jeremiah' last='Curry']</strong>, and<strong> Eitan Golphin </strong>all averaging over five yards per carry on the ground, helping the Sharks total 386 total yards compared to May River's 139.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But the Bobcat defense was the star of the night, holding May River out of the end zone by containing athletic Shark quarterback Macy. Hayden Gregory's squad was especially strong on third down, allowing May River to convert just one of 10 third-down opportunities in the contest. <strong>Josh Bond</strong> complemented Curry's exceptional play and was electric himself, showing spectacular strength and athleticism to pursue the ball-carrier and finish the tackle. <strong>James Garvin </strong>added to the Bobcats' excellence at linebacker, making some difficult stops on the outside early on while playing tight coverage on passing downs. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1639730' first='Chris' last='Doyle']</strong> showed his excellent pursuit on a key sack of Macy, and <strong>Shane Whittaker</strong> provided a critical presence with his always-clutch run-stopping abilities on the line. <strong>Sebastian Tollefson</strong> did a bit of everything for Gregory's Bobcats, excelling in taking away this man on passes downfield and making strong open-field tackles when his number was called.<br>Despite an up-and-down game for Macy, <strong>Jordan Williams</strong> impressed in the limited work he got on the ground. He was efficient with the ball in his hands, posting 49 yards on seven carries with excellent toughness and vision from the backfield. He was difficult to hold down and tackle with a solid frame at 6 feet and 190 pounds. The Sharks should look to get him more work in a potential win-or-go-home matchup on Thursday at Hilton Head. May River's defense battled late in the first half to keep it close and <strong>Will Bostwick</strong> was everywhere, making quick, textbook tackles in the secondary and showing some tenacity on special teams with a first-half ending blocked field goal. He's been a breakout performer with his high energy and efficient tackling skills on the Shark defensive side. Hamilton gave his side a real chance with a terrific interception in the second half, anticipating Bayes' deep throw and finishing the play to force the game's only turnover.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->