COMMERCE, Ga. — In a duel between two of the area’s most dynamic quarterbacks, East Hall’s Jamarcus Harrison won the individual battle over East Jackson’s Drew Richardson. But Richardson and the Eagles would win the war.
Richardson rallied East Jackson back from four separate deficits en route to a 45-27 win at East Jackson Stadium on Friday night.
It was the final non-region tune-up for both teams before entering region play next week.
East Jackson (3-2) trailed 7-0, 14-7, 21-14, and 27-21 before Richardson and the East Jackson offense scored the final 24 points of the game, while the Eagles defense held the Vikings scoreless over the final 32:33 of the game.
Harrison and East Hall (3-2) were unstoppable over the first 15-plus minutes as Harrison scored on runs of 61 and 8 yards in the first quarter with a 27-yard TD pass to Chasen Jones thrown in for a 27-21 lead.
Richardson and the Eagles, however, matched the Vikings’ every score. Richardson hit BT Callahan on a 39-yard touchdown pass and then scored on a 64-yard run in the first quarter. They exploded in the second.
Callahan ripped off a 51-yard touchdown run. Jamarion Parks added a 3-yard scoring run, and then Richardson broke through the East Hall defense again for a 63-yard TD run, giving the Eagles a 35-27 halftime lead. Richardson added a 36-yard scoring run late in the third quarter to put the game away.
Richardson went 8-of-13 passing for 103 yards and one touchdown but churned out 188 yards on the ground with three rushing TDs.
Meanwhile, Harrison finished just 14-of-36 for 231 yards passing with 1 TD and three big INTs on the night for East Hall. He added 166 yards rushing with 3 TDs of his own.
The Vikings also hurt themselves throughout with 12 penalties for 112 yards for the game.
East Hall has another huge, and important, road battle next week traveling to Monroe Area to open Region 8-3A play. The Vikings are 0-2 on the road compared to 3-0 at home in 2024.
East Jackson will open its Region 8-2A schedule at home next week against Hebron Christian. The Eagles, like East Hall, are 2-0 at home and 1-2 on the road this season.
