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The South Trojans beat the North Gators 26-20 at the old high school football field Tuesday in a continuation of the rivalry between the two middle schools.

The Trojans took the lead late in the third quarter and pulled ahead by double digits in the last two minutes of the game with a late rally attempt by the Gators coming up short.

South head football coach Jermaine Johnson said that both teams played well, and he was proud of how his players performed for the day.

“It was a hard-fought game from both sides. I’m glad we ended up having it. It was a good, competitive game and something that the community should be happy for,” he said before turning his attention to the future of football in Franklin County. “We’re out here competing and trying to get better so that we can send these kids to the next level so that our high school here can get back to the glory days or be better than what they are.”

North head football coach Chuck Reed placed the blame for the loss on his own shoulders, saying that a power-running game plan he implemented didn’t work out.

“This is all my fault. I took the format of previous teams that beat them, and I tried to use that format,” he said before referring to a late touchdown drive for the Gators which was powered by their passing game. “(South) may have relaxed their defense a little bit because it was at the end of the game, but still, I could see at the end of the game that we could pass better than I thought we would be able to.”

The Trojans scored a touchdown on their opening possession with quarterback Bentley Baldwin finding Jack Price down the middle of the field for a long passing score. The touchdown made it a 6-0 game less than two minutes into the contest.

The Gators turned the ball over on downs on their first drive to give the Trojans the ball back at midfield.

The Trojans then steadily worked the ball down the field before Baldwin connected with Jacoba Fells in the end zone for another passing touchdown to put the score at 12-0 with 6:34 left in the first half.

The Gators answered back with their first scoring drive as a long run from quarterback Colson Kelley brought them to the red zone, and Kelley scored a rushing touchdown a few plays later to cut the deficit to 12-6 with three minutes left until halftime.

The Trojans brought the ball into enemy territory once more with a pass from Baldwin to Brennan Taylor on fourth-and-long moving them down to North’s 10-yard line.

However, the Gators tightened up on defense to force a turnover on downs with 12 seconds to go in the second quarter.

The Trojans led 12-6 at halftime.

The Gators wasted no time scoring in the third quarter as Easton Brandon scooped up the opening kickoff for the second half and ran it back for a touchdown to tie the score at 12-12.

The Gators then forced a turnover at midfield as a South fumble was recovered by North’s Tony Perales. However, the Gators only advanced the ball a few yards before turning it back over on downs.

The Trojans then moved down the field while mainly relying on their rushing attack with Kaveon Sutton scoring on a short run to give South an 18-12 advantage with 1:36 left in the third quarter.

The Gators made it into enemy territory on their next possession, but they wouldn’t be able to find a tying score as they turned it over on downs at South’s 22-yard line with five minutes to go.

The Trojans were charged with three separate unsportsmanlike-conduct penalties following the first play of their ensuing drive to back them up to inside their own 10-yard line, but they still converted a fourth-and-19 a few plays later with Baldwin and Taylor connecting for a 27-yard gain down to their 40-yard line.

Jonah Holt recorded a rushing touchdown later on the same possession, and Holt also scored on the two-point conversion that followed to give the Trojans a 26-12 lead with 1:25 remaining.

The Gators moved the ball down the field quickly using their passing attack on their next possession, and the drive ended in a touchdown run by Easton Brandon with 23 seconds left. Logan Polkinghorn scored on the two-point conversion to put the score at 26-20 late.

The Gators then went for an onside kick with the game on the line, but South’s Fells secured the ball, and the Trojans were able to kneel out the clock from there.

With the win, the Trojans ended their season with a record of 4-4.

With the loss, the Gators finished the year with a record of 1-7.