Kickoff: A look at Brunswick High’s next game: Opponent: Effingham When: 7:30 p.m. Friday Where: Rebel Field at Bob Griffith Stadium, Springfield Records: BHS 1-1, 0-0 Region 1-AAAAA; EFF 0-2, Region 1-AAAAA Last week: BHS did not play: EFF lost 47-44 at home to New Hampstead Last year/All-time: EFF won 31-28 at home; BHS leads 16-12 Game Preview Brunswick High and Effingham will meet in a major matchup to open their Region 1-AAAAA schedules. It’s a game between the two teams that have won the last three league titles. And, the last three times these two teams squared off, the final margin was three points either way. The Rebels won the region crown last fall, securing the championship with a 31-28 win over the Pirates in the final game of the regular season for both teams in Springfield. The Pirates won the region championship in both 2021 and 2022, also defeating the Rebels in the season finale for both teams both times. BHS won the 2022 game 30-27 to complete a second-straight undefeated regular-season while grabbing the top seed for the state playoffs while relegating the Rebels to the No. 2 seed with one region loss. In 2021, Brunswick alo capped a perfect season with a 21-18 win in the regular-season finale. The loss was the second league setback for the Rebels who settled for the No. 3 seed for the state playoffs as a result. Friday’s game will match two of Class AAAAA’s highest scoring teams after the first three weeks of the season. Brunswick is averaging 45 points after its first two games while Effingham is averaging 42.5 after two games. The Pirates are 1-1 on the season. They lost 51-41 at home to Camden County to open the season on Aug. 16 when the Wildcats scored three touchdowns while having to go a combined 12 yards for the scores after execution errors by the Brunswick punt team. Brunswick blasted an 0-3 Wayne County team 49-7 two Fridays ago in Jesup while getting three defensive touchdowns in the second half. Effingham has faced two explosive offenses in its opening two games and its defense didn’t fare well against either one as the Rebels lost at Houston County 44-41 on Aug. 23 in their opener before losing 47-44 last Friday at home to New Hampstead. In the opener, the Rebels trailed the Bears 30-13 before pulling within 44-34 and then adding another score on an untimed down at the very end of the game. Last Friday, New Hampstead led by as much as 33-3, only to see the Rebels storm back and actually take a 44-40 lead with two minutes to play. The Phoenix, though, would drive for the game-winning score behind the passing of senior quarterback Rashawn Truell to pull out a 47-44 victory. Truell threw a 46-yard touchdown pass for the winning score in the closing moments and hit the same receiver three times for 80 yards on the final drive. He passed for 470 yards and five TDS in the win and also ran for two touchdowns. The Rebels have a pretty sporty quarterback, too. Junior Tucker Perkins threw for 378 yards against Houston County and 376 yards and two touchdowns last week. Sophomore running back Jmere Doe-Davis can play, also. He rushed for 82 yards and three scores on 12 carries against New Hampstead and also finished with 124 receiving yards while accounting for five total scores. Senior Ryan Wells is also a favorite target in the passing game for the Rebels. He has 10 receptions for 236 yards and two touchdowns in two games. Brunswick can spread the ball around, too. Junior quarterback Grant Moore is a threat with his arm and legs. Senior Jemarious Towns can catch, run and throw the ball as a running back and receiver and senior William Heck is a big-play threat as the starting running back. BHS got junior tight end Heze Kent heavily involved in the offense against Wayne as he scored running and catching the ball.