Visiting Brookwood spotted South Gwinnett two touchdowns, then roared back with six of next seven scores to win the “Battle of Snellville” and claim an important Region 8-AAAAA victory, 42-21.
Running backs Nick Tompkins and Jamaal Cole led the way with 181 and 140 rushing yards, respectively, as well as two touchdowns apiece. Nathaniel Minor caught 36- and 52-yard touchdown passes to both start and cap Brookwood’s onslaught.
The Broncos (5-1, 3-1) dealt the Comets (4-2, 3-1) their first region loss and kept themselves third in Region 8-AAAAA behind region unbeatens Dacula and Grayson.
The Broncos’ third straight victory since losing to Dacula in their region opener was more dominant than many of their wins in a now 23-4 lifetime series over South. Importantly, it avenged South’s 17-14 victory last season.
“We’ve been fortunate to be on the good end of history,” Broncos coach Mark Crews said of dominating the series. “Our games with them have pretty much always been close.”
Tompkins, who entered the game as Gwinnett County’s leading rusher, upped his season total to 903 yards, including 381 and four touchdowns in his past two games.
South led 14-0 by scoring on two of its first three drives. Kent Rollins put the Comets up 7-0 on a 33-yard keeper just seven plays into the game, then passed 11 yards to Kevin Gary as for the two-touchdown advantage as the first quarter expired.
The Broncos made it 14-7 when Ben McLane passed 11 yards over the middle to Minor to cap a 72-yard drive 7:34 before intermission.
Tompkins tied the game 14-14 with a 35-yard scoring run on the fifth play of the second half, then Cole added a 7-yarder and a 74-yarder top put Brookwood up 28-14 with 2:31 left in the third quarter. Gary’s second touchdown reception made it 28-21, but Tompkins raced in from 36 yards and Minor caught his a second scoring pass from McLane for the final margin with 11:26 left.
The Comets missed consecutive wins against the Broncos for the first time since the teams began playing in 1982.
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