GMC News

Greg Pruitt sprinted for a 76-yard touchdown run on Georgia Military College’s first offensive play of the game and the Bulldogs never looked back, whipping West Georgia’s jayvee 50-0 on Thursday night.

In a game that gave Bert Williams, GMC’s head coach, a chance to play almost every Bulldog on the roster, GMC tallied six touchdowns and three field goals against the overmatched Braves. Two of the trips to the end zone came courtesy of a pair of Milledgeville natives.

With 8:12 left in the first quarter, Avis Gilbert, a sophomore tight end from Baldwin County, caught an 18-yard touchdown catch down the middle of the field to give GMC a 14-0 edge.

“It came as a shock to me,” Gilbert said. “It was a broken play that was supposed to be a curl route and I just kept running a post to the end zone and he (redshirt freshman Justin Tyler) hit me.”

Jarvis Williams, an all-state running back who graduated from GMC’s high school in 2003, busted through West Georgia’s defense with 2:29 left in the opening quarter to give the Bulldogs a 20-0 lead. Following the game, Williams described the feeling of scoring his first collegiate touchdown on Davenport Field, and his prediction for the Bulldogs.

“This one felt good, real good,” Williams said with a smile. “This team works hard, goes to practice and hopefully we’ll go 11-0.”

Defensively, GMC was also sharp, for the most part. Cornerback Waymon Ford ignited the Bulldogs just 1:12 into the game with an interception on the Braves’ 24-yard line. On that same play, quarterback David Lee was drilled by Daniel Williams – an episode that would happen all night long for Lee.

Isaac Brandon, Williams, Tim Autry, Joe Woolridge, Travon Duhart, Bryan Belvin and Raymond Moore all had at least one sack during their team’s win.

Following Gilbert’s score, West Georgia, who didn’t make it into GMC’s territory until the third quarter, was forced to punt on two consecutive series and Tyler, who came to GMC from Mississippi State, coughed up a fumble on the Bulldogs’ possession.

The scoring drought would continue until redshirt freshman Blake Bartol nailed a 32-yard field goal to make it 23-0 with 13:40 left in the second quarter. But the Braves would tally their second first down of the game on their next drive, thanks to the one negative detail that kept popping up for GMC – penalties.

The Bulldogs finished with 18 penalties for 170 yards at the game’s end and GMC’s coach was far from pleased.

“That’s really going to hurt us when we play an opponent that has the capabilities to capitalize on them,” Williams said, assuring that his players would have plenty of sprints to make up for the infractions.

The Bulldogs widened their lead to 30-0 after a 61-yard drive late in the second quarter. Backup fullback Brent Thomas lumbered for 26 yards on the drive before Bryan Wallace ran in for a 2-yard touchdown with 4:34 left in the quarter.

Following Bartol’s second field goal of the game, GMC’s Harrie Mapp nabbed the catch of the game. Facing a third down and 11, quarterback Joe Riner threw a pass that tipped off tight end Matt Lane’s hands, skipped off the fingertips of a West Georgia defender and was finally grabbed by Mapp in the end zone.

The Bulldogs’ only points of the third quarter made the score 40-0.

In the fourth quarter, Bartol booted a 43-yard field goal and freshman Sean Lundy bolted down the Bulldogs’ right sideline for a 60-yard interception that went for a touchdown. Autry also recovered a fumble in the waning seconds of the game.

After pushing his team’s record to 2-0, Williams was optimistic about his program’s future.

“A lot of young guys playing a lot of reps was probably the biggest positive tonight,” said Williams, who chalked up his 30th win at GMC on Thursday night.

The Bulldogs take on Carson Newman’s jayvee squad in Jefferson City, Tenn., on Thursday at 3 p.m.

To reach sports writer Leland Barrow, call him at (478) 453-1463.