With senior running back Elijah Dunn sidelined by an ankle injury, Putnam County needed someone to step up in the backfield Friday night.
Junior Kumari Thomas answered the call.
Thomas rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries, helping lead the War Eagles (1-0) to a 21-0 victory over rival Greene County (0-1) at Tiger Stadium to open the 2026 season.
The game, which was delayed by weather, wasn't always pretty for Putnam County. The War Eagles committed several mental errors and struggled at times to execute offensively, but their defense consistently came through when it mattered.
“I think we go back and watch the film, you see that you didn't execute real well,” Putnam County coach Joel Harvin said.
Greene County's defense posed problems early, particularly by changing looks and confusing Putnam County's young offensive line.
“They came out with a good game plan on defense,” Harvin said.
Still, the War Eagles found enough success on the ground to control the game.
Thomas carried the load with Dunn unavailable, while junior quarterback Caleb Reeves added 52 yards on 16 carries. Sophomore running back Rasha Ellison rushed for 27 yards on six carries and scored a touchdown.
Putnam County struck on its first offensive play after Greene County was unable to get a punt off cleanly. The War Eagles recovered the ball at the Tigers' 3-yard line, and Thomas scored out of the Wildcat formation to give Putnam County a 7-0 lead with 10:09 remaining in the first quarter.
Thomas found the end zone again in the second quarter.
After Putnam County recovered another Greene County fumble and took over at the Tigers' 37, Thomas moved the chains with a 10-yard run before scoring on a 6-yard touchdown run. The extra point pushed the War Eagles' advantage to 14-0 with 7:37 left in the first half.
The War Eagles quickly put the game further out of reach in the third quarter.
Putnam County started the third quarter with great field position after recovering a squib kick inside Greene County territory. Reeves then picked up chunk gains on the ground, and Thomas delivered a tough run that helped set up Ellison's touchdown.
Ellison's score, followed by the extra point, gave Putnam County a 21-0 lead with 9:07 left in the third quarter.
That proved to be all the offense the War Eagles needed.
Greene County generated some momentum on the ground in the third quarter behind JaQuez Hull, who broke off several hard runs to move the Tigers into Putnam County territory.
But just when Greene County appeared poised to get on the scoreboard, Putnam County's defense delivered its biggest play of the night.
Jacob Manning intercepted a pass intended for Braylen Hurt at the Putnam County 1-yard line, ending the Tigers' best scoring opportunity of the game and preserving the War Eagles' shutout.
“Defensively, man, we played lights out,” Harvin said. “Shutout, anytime you get a shutout is great.”
The defensive effort also allowed several young players, including several ninth-graders, to gain valuable late-game experience.
“A lot of young guys stepped up on that side of the ball toward the end of the game,” Harvin said.
Putnam County's ability to rotate backs was also important, especially with several players contributing on both sides of the ball.
“We’ve got several guys who can carry the ball and help keep everybody fresh, because a lot of those guys also play defense,” Harvin said. “We just try to divide it up and let each one of them do what they’re good at doing.”
Dunn's absence was noticeable, but Harvin said the senior running back is “day-to-day” with a sprained ankle and the team is being cautious with his return.
While Harvin was pleased with the victory, he knows the War Eagles have plenty to improve upon.
“We had a lot of mental errors, and we just didn't grade out real well after watching the film,” he said. “So I'm pleased for the win. Obviously, glad that we get the win, but we've got to get a little bit better if we want to make a good little run here.”
Putnam County will have an opportunity to make those corrections next week against Hancock Central.
“They’ve got a lot of athletic guys,” Harvin said. “When they touch the ball, they can score at any moment, so we've got a challenge ahead of us.”
The War Eagles and Bulldogs (1-0), who defeated Cross Creek last Friday, will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Sparta.