The Bluffton Bobcats have presented the evidence, and there is no dispute — they’re a second-half team.
The Bobcats put together an incredible rally after halftime Friday at Colleton County, scoring 49 points in the second half to claim a 55-30 win to open Region 7-4A play.
Despite playing their first game of the season, the Cougars roared out of the gate in first-year coach Kris Howell’s debut, using a powerful offensive line and a strong ground game to race to a 24-6 halftime lead.
“They steamrolled us the first half,” Bluffton coach John Houpt said.
And then…
Like he did earlier this season against Thomas Heyward, Bobcats quarterback Max Vonhohenstraeten caught fire in the second half, tossing five of his six touchdown passes after the break. Jaylin Linder and KJ Frazier each hauled in three TDs, and JaQuinn Williams sealed the win with a 40-yard scoop-and-score to cap an incredible comeback.
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The rally started when Vonhohenstraeten hit Linder deep for a score to open the second half, and after the Bobcats recovered an onside kick, Frazier hauled in a 50-yard TD pass to cut it to 24-21 just two minutes in the third quarter.
Frazier added two more scoring grabs in the second half, and Roderick Buxton added a rushing score to go with more than 100 yards on the ground. Linder and Frazier both went over the century mark receiving.
The Bobcats’ defense also settled in after halftime, holding the Cougars to just six points after Colleton County’s controlled the line of scrimmage early. EJ Mitchell had an interception in the fourth quarter to help Bluffton hang on.
The Bobcats (2-3, 1-0) host rival May River for the Hometown Showdown next Friday. The Cougars (0-1, 0-1) travel to Hilton Head High for the Seahawks’ first game on their new artificial turf.
