EUTAW — The Linden Patriots, fresh off their loss to regional rival Sweet Water last week, gave up an early touchdown to host 3A Greene County on Friday, but were able to clear the cobwebs soon after, getting back on the winning track with a 27-8 win.
Linden (4-1) rushed 48 times for 329 yards and was 7-for-10 in passing for 129 yards. Fritts led the Patriot running attack with 21 carries and 131 yards and a touchdown, while Marquise Shelton had 11 rushes for 124 yards and two touchdowns and Julian Little had eight carries for 77 yards. Gerald Bruno had four receptions for 79 yards, including a 52-yarder that set up Linden’s go-ahead score.
Greene County (4-1) got on the scoreboard first with a first-quarter touchdown and put across the two-point conversion for an early 8-0 lead.
The Patriots got on the scoreboard when Fritts scored on a four-yard run in the second quarter. Anthony Robinson then scored on a one-yard run after a 52-yard pass to Bruno brought Linden to the Tigers’ 1-yard line. LHS led 13-8 at the half.
In the fourth quarter, Shelton scored on a five-yard run, then capped the scoring with a two-yard TD run.
“We had to get acclimated to their environment,” said LHS head coach Andro Williams. “Greene County has a good football team. They were undefeated coming in, and they were prepared. We had to make some plays here and there.
“We had some miscues up front here and there. We put the ball on the ground early — again — and we didn’t help ourselves. Greene County had a good game plan coming in, and we had to make some adjustments. Our coaches had a good game plan to get us through the first half and get out of there leading 13-8.
“In the second half, we did what we had to do. Greene County came out and threw some stuff at us. They had a double-reverse pass early in the game, so we had to come out and make some adjustments in the second quarter. I thought we had control of the game from the second quarter on. We just had to make sure we played better football.”
Linden (2-1 in 1A Region 1) hosts regional rival McIntosh (4-1, 3-0 1A Region 1) on Friday, while Greene County hosts 4A Dallas County.