CORDOVA -- Two Cougar spirit flags that flew proudly through the wind and rain before Edisto’s game Friday night against Barnwell laid lifeless on the sideline when the game ended.

Meanwhile, the Warhorses raised their helmets and chanted “Two-and-0” in reference to their region record after handing the Cougars a 24-13 loss.

The Edisto defense got things going early in the first quarter. Ruben Thomas picked off a Ty Carroll pass near the sideline to give his team the ball at the 39-yard line. From that point, Cougar quarterback and Elite 11 selection Kamrie Connell took over. Connell had a 46-yard run to get his team deep into Warhorse territory. He followed that with a 3-yard touchdown run to take an early 7-0 lead.

Barnwell answered the Cougars with 9:49 to go in the second quarter. The Warhorses made their way down the field in six plays and capped the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run by Willie Williamson, tying the game 7-7.

The weather proved to be a major factor with 5:17 to go in the half. On the Cougars’ first play on their own 43-yard line, Connell lost the handle on the shotgun snap and Barnwell recovered the loose ball.

“We kind of want it to be dry with what we do offensively,” Cougars head coach Andy Palmer said, “but, you know, we’ve got to be able to play in these conditions. We can’t have turnovers. We know that.”

Barnwell (4-3, 2-0) capitalized on the takeaway by using their running attack. Colby Carter finished a drive that lasted five minutes with a 2-yard touchdown run, making 14-7 with 47 seconds remaining in the half.

The rain let up in the second half, but the Warhorses didn’t. On their opening drive, the Warhorses ran right at Edisto (4-3, 1-1) with Carter and Antwan Hiers. However, the Cougar defense stood tall in the red zone and Barnwell had to settle for a 26-yard field goal by Jordan Toole, making it 17-7 after having a four-minute drive.

“They ball-controlled us to death,” Palmer said. “They just kept getting first downs and moving the chains and moving the chains. We just couldn’t the defense off the field.”

Time of possession and offensive production hurt the Cougars in the third quarter. In their two series after halftime, Edisto only came away with 35 total yards on offense.

The Warhorses added their final touchdown while eating up the clock in the fourth quarter. Barnwell orchestrated a 10-play drive that lasted just over five minutes. Hiers capped the drive with a 50-yard sprint to the end zone, making it 24-7 with 5:06 to play.

Edisto wasn’t dead in the water just yet. With the rain temporarily out of the picture, the Cougars used their passing game and a no-huddle offense to move down the field quickly. It took nine plays and three minutes, but Connell connected with Thomas on a 20-yard touchdown strike, but the point after was blocked, leaving Edisto in a 24-13 hole.

With 2:59 left, the Cougars attempted an onside kick. However, a Barnwell player deflected the ball out of bounds and the Warhorses ran the clock out on their way to victory.

“It’s a big win,” Barnwell head coach Joey Still said after meeting with his team. “It’s a big win in the region, but we just take one week at a time. That’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to take Pelion and we’re going to take them just like they’re the best football team in our region. We learned our lesson from last year from overlooking people. We’re not going to do that. We’re going to take it one region at a time.”

Edisto suffers its first region loss of the season, but all hope for a region title is not lost.

“I told our kids ‘Don’t beat yourself up over this’,” Palmer said. “Our kids have all made plays. Kamrie’s made plays. Derrick’s made plays. We’ll just have to come back and be resilient next week.”

n T&D Sports Writer Emery Glover can be reached by e-mail at eglover@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5532. Check out his blog, Cover 2, at www.TheTandD.com for game notes.

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