Todd County showed toughness in the second half but ultimately fell 56-24 to the Jo Byrns Red Devils on Friday night.
The Rebels (1-3) have now dropped three straight games after a season-opening win. Down 42-8 at halftime, Todd County outscored Jo Byrns 16-14 after the break — a response that head coach Willem Cohen hopes will carry forward.
“I kind of challenged them. I told them that everything that is left, this whole second half, just play with effort,” Cohen said. “We lacked effort in the first half, but we came out in the second half with great effort and energy. That’s the team we’ve been practicing and what we’re trying to get to. Hopefully, now we’ve gained that momentum and that’s where we’re going.”
Early on, the game looked like it might turn into a shootout. Jo Byrns drove down the field on its opening possession but fumbled into the end zone, giving Todd County an early chance. The Rebels were forced to punt, and Kaiden Johnson put Jo Byrns on the board with a 23-yard touchdown run.
On the ensuing kickoff, senior Isaiah Garcia fielded the ball at the 10-yard line, dodged defenders, and sprinted 90 yards to the end zone as the Todd County crowd erupted. The Rebels converted the two-point try to take an 8-7 lead with 4:17 left in the opening quarter.
From there, Jo Byrns seized control, scoring 35 unanswered points to close the first half — including three touchdowns in under three minutes.
Jo Byrns opened the second half with another quick touchdown to trigger a running clock, but Todd County responded with its best stretch of the night. The Rebels outscored the Red Devils 16-14 the rest of the way, showing the energy Cohen has been looking for.
“Just keep fighting and hang in there. Play for each other,” Cohen said. “As long as we keep playing for each other and having the energy up, we’re going to be good no matter the outcome.”
Todd County will open district play next Friday with a road trip to Fort Campbell.
“Every game counts moving forward,” Cohen said. “Hopefully they get that message. If we play like we did in the second half — with great effort and energy — we’ll definitely make some noise in districts.”
JO BYRNS 56, TODD COUNTY 24
JB: 14; 28; 7; 7 — 56
TC: 8; 0; 8; 8 — 24
