TCHULA -- The good news is that there's nowhere to go but up for Greenwood High.
The bad news is that the Bulldogs suffered a 47-0 blowout loss Saturday to Holmes County Central — their worst defeat since 2006 — in their first football game in nearly two years.
"We're growing up," 11th-year GHS head coach Clinton Gatewood said. "They held up toward the end. They got battle tested tonight. They understand what it is now to go to practice and take it seriously versus getting to practice and thinking they're doing something. We've got the whole season ahead of us and there are no injuries, so we'll be fine."
Miami commit Khamauri Rogers got the Jaguars on the board early with a 26-yard touchdown catch on a slant route. It was the first of three touchdowns for Rogers, a four-star cornerback recruit ranked third in the state among seniors.
"In 2019, they tried to rub it in," Rogers said, referring to the Bulldogs' 34-6 victory over Holmes County the last time they faced off. "We didn't have our quarterback or head coach. We made up for 2019."
Holmes County senior running back Jerell Boyd broke loose for an 87-yard touchdown run to make it 14-0 headed into the second quarter.
Bulldogs do-it-all senior Davin Anderson pinned the Jaguars deep in their own territory with a big punt, but Holmes County responded with a huge bubble screen touchdown courtesy of Ricky Fletcher. GHS trailed 21-0 at halftime.
The Jaguars returned the second half kickoff for a touchdown as they refused to take their foot off the gas pedal. Rogers made a leaping catch in the third quarter for his second score of the night before returning a Jarkavious Anderson interception 30 yards for a touchdown on the Bulldogs' next possession.
Holmes County quarterback Octavious Pernell snuck into the end zone from 20 yards out to cap the scoring in the fourth quarter.
Gatewood didn't agree to a running clock in the second half, instead opting for his players to gain more experience after having just two official weeks of practice to prepare for Saturday's season opener.
Jarkavious Anderson, a lefty sophomore, split time at quarterback along with Davin Anderson.
GHS (0-1) visits Rosa Fort next week.
