Pirates run over the Yellow Jackets

By Cole Gardner | September 16, 2026 |

On Friday, September 11, the Appling County Pirates Football team hosted the Wayne County Yellow Jackets in a cross county rivalry. Before the game started, the High School honored their student athletes of the week, with Nolan Sikes being picked for baseball, and AnnaKay Lee, being picked for the swim team. Right after during the pregame events, the high school also honored Bryson Thornton for winning a State Championship in the 106 weight class for Wrestling. Coaches Ian Howell and Bruce Clark, along with ACHS Principal Dr. Ben Horner and Athletic Director Seth Taylor, presented the ring to Bryson and congratulated him on bring home another state championship to Appling County, and look forward to seeing him in action again this upcoming season as a pirate.
Friday also represented the 25th year anniversary of the 9/11 attack in the United States. As a way to honor the many lives taken in that attack, the Appling County Pirates Marching Brigade and the Wayne County Yellow Jackets Marching Band came together on the field to perform the song “America the Beautiful” and the national anthem “The Star Spangled Banner.” Wayne County’s Assistant Band Director, Ian Cornelius, directed the joint band in “America the Beautiful” and ACHS Band Director, Jonathan Hickox, led the bands in “The Star Spangled Banner.” Before the playing of the national anthem, First responders for Appling and Wayne County were brought out onto the field, to honor them for the hard work that they put in, and to thank them for answering the call to service.
The Yellow Jackets received the ball to begin the game, and the Pirates defense made quick work by forcing them into a quick four and out. Wayne punted the ball to the Pirates 42-yard line before the ball rolled out of bounds. On the first play of scrimmage for the Pirates offense, the offensive line made a huge hole in the yellow jacket defense to allow running back Jaiden Knight to take off and run for a 58-yard touchdown. Pirates Kicker, Eduardo Delgado, came out and made the PAT to make the score 7-0 with 10:44 left in the first quarter.
After forcing the Yellow Jackets into another punting situation, the Pirates would take over at the Yellow Jackets 49-yard line. From there the Pirates worked their way down to the 15-yard line, where Jaiden Knight took a direct snap, and ran the ball in for another touchdown. Delgado came off the sideline to make another PAT, which made the score 14-0 with 8:21 left in the first quarter.
After forcing back to back punts on the Yellow Jackets, and a fumble by the Pirates in between the punts, The Pirates offense took over at the Yellow Jackets 42-yard line. After a nine-yard pass to Tavion Wallace from Harrison Hickox, the offensive line once again opened a huge hole for Jaiden Knight to make a 33-yard touchdown run. Delgado made another PAT to make the score 21-0 with 1:55 left in the first quarter.
The Pirates forced the Yellow Jackets into another punting situation right before the end of the first quarter, and on the first play of the second quarter, Harrison Hickox connected with a wide open Rett Thomas in the endzone for a 25-yard touchdown pass. Delgado came onto the field again to make another PAT. This took the score up 28-0 with 11:56 left in the first half.
After making the touchdown catch for the Pirates Offense, Rett Thomas intercepted the ball from the Yellow Jackets, and gave the ball back to the Pirates offense very quickly around their own 46-yard line. The Pirates offense once again marched down the field to the Yellow Jackets 22-yard line, where Jaiden Knight would take the ball into the end zone for his third touchdown run of the night. Eduardo Delgado would make another PAT, to take the score up 35-0 with 8:51 left in the second quarter. The Yellow Jackets put their first points on the board after marching down field from their own 27-yard line, the Yellow Jackets completed a 10-yard pass to the endzone for a touchdown, and made the PAT after to make the score 35-7 with 6:16 left in the second quarter.
The Pirates marched down the field to the Yellow Jackets eight-yard line where they fumbled the ball, but Nate Davis got the ball back quick for the Pirates by intercepting a pass by the Yellow Jackets and getting the Pirates offense back on the field at the Yellow Jackets 16-yard line. Titus Wallace took the direct snap and ran the ball into the endzone for a 16-yard touchdown. Delgado made another PAT to make the score 41-7 with 2:45 left in the first half.
Right before the end of the half, the Pirate defense forced another punt from the Yellow Jackets, and Rett Thomas returned the ball from the Pirate’s 48-yard line to the Yellow Jackets 33-yard line. The Pirates quickly got down to the 15-yard line where Jaident Knight would again take a direct snap and run it into the endzone. Delgado would make the final PAT of the first half to make the score 49-7 with 0:55 left in the first half. That would be the score going into half time.
During halftime, the Pirate Brigade showed their halftime show to the crowd in attendance. Everyone applauded the spectacular show that honors those from Appling County that made the ultimate sacrifice during WWII.
On the kickoff of the second half, Antonio Conoway, returned the ball from the Pirates own 11-yard line for an 89-yard touchdown. Emiliano Escalante, came out to make the PAT for the Pirates to make the score 56-7 with 11:48 left in the third quarter.
After a big interception by Jayveon WIlliams the Pirates took two kneels down in the red zone to end the ball game with a final score of 56-7.
The Pirates will be at home again this week to begin region play, as they take on the Tattnall County Battle Creek Warriors. Kickoff is slated for Friday night at 7:30 in Jimmy Swain Stadium.
GO PIRATES!
Statistics
First Downs – ACHS 19; WCHS 4
Rushing – ACHS 37/351/6; WCHS 21/47
Passing – ACHS 7/11/112/1; WCHS 5/24/83/1
Total Yards – ACHS 463; WCHS 130
Penalties – ACHS 5/30; WCHS 8/55
Individual Statistics
Passing – Harrison Hickox Completed seven of 11 passes for 112-yards and one touchdown.
Rushing – Jaiden Knight rushed 10 times for 187 yards and five touchdowns; Harrison Hickox rushed five times for 57-yards; Dareon Hood rushed six times for 42-yards; DJ Crayton rushed six times for 32-yards; Antonio Conoway rushed six times for 28-yards; Titus Wallace rushed one time for 23 yards.
Receiving – Titus Wallace caught three of four passes for 58-yards; Rett Thomas caught two of four passes for 35-yards and one touchdown; Nate Davis caught his only pass for 12-yards; Brayden Miles caught his only pass for seven yards.
Defensive Stadouts
Jaiden Knight led the team in tackles with seven tackles, one and half tackles for loss, and one sack; Javechez Johnson had six tackles; Dareon Hood had five tackles with half a tackle for loss and half a sack; Jaiden Solomon had four tackles with one tackle for loss and half a sack; Jack Lee Courson had four tackles with half a tackle for loss; Titus Wallace had three tackles; Rett Thomas had two tackles with one interception; Jordan Todd had two tackles with one tackle for loss; Nate Davis had two tackles with one interception; Kaileb Solomon had two tackles with one forced fumble; Bubba Green had two tackles; Trenton Carter had one tackle with a half tackle for loss; Elijah Parker, Caron Britt, and Hudson Gjone all had one tackle each; Jayveon Williams had one interception.