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Thankfully for in-county rivals Barnwell High and Blackville-Hilda High victories are not graded on style points.
If aesthetics mattered Friday night in the Hawks Nest then the game between the rivals would have been stopped at halftime.
The contest turned into a game of mistakes  as the Hawks and Warhorses combined for eight turnovers and 12 penalties.
However, at the end it was Blackville-Hilda High which prevailed the battle of attrition by winning in overtime by a score of 8-0.
For Blackville-Hilda High, senior quarterback Chris Kearse emerged as the most fitting of stars in a defensive struggle.
Kearse, who finished 52 yards rushing, provided the game’s biggest play into overtime when he connected with Jevonn Dukes for a seven-yard touchdown.
On second the play, Kearse took the snap, rolled right and lobbed the ball into the arms of  Jevonn Dukes who was standing alone in the back of the end zone. Jamell Dukes ran for the two-point conversion to complete the scoring.
 “We needed a big play and I was glad I was able to deliver,” Kearse said. “Offensively, we struggled the entire game, but we had what it took at the end to pull the game out in overtime.”
With the win, Blackville-Hilda improves to 1-0 in the season.
Blackville-Hilda coach David Berry said the game wasn’t pretty but it was a win never-the-less.
“We feel real fortunate to come out with a victory tonight because Barnwell gave us a very tough game,” Berry said.
“Offensively, we certainly didn’t play our best football tonight. We had a hard time blocking people and we missed a lot  of assignments.” 
For the 10th year in a row, the Warhorses were unsuccessful in beating the Hawks. The last time the Warhorses defeated the Hawks was Sept. 1, 2000. That year Barnwell won 17-7 in Blackville.
 Barnwell High head coach Ed Moore said the team had its chances to end the drought.
“We had several chances to put the ball in the end zone, but we wasted the opportunities,” Moore said. “The team played hard especially on defense, but we just made too many mistakes.”
Barnwell High struggled offensively the entire game finishing with only 48 total yards and six first downs.
The Warhorses squandered numerous scoring  opportunities, especially in the second half when the team started four of five possessions in Hawk’s territory. The possessions ended on two fumbles, a blocked field goal and three turnovers on downs.
Despite their flaws, the Warhorse offense had a chances to redeem themselves in overtime.
The team, however, faired no better despite starting first and goal from the five-yard line.
On the drive, the first two plays resulted in negative yardage. On third and fourth downs, passes fell incomplete in the end zone.
“We have to find a way to correct the errors,” Moore said. “Offensively, we have to get better. It’s time these players start to play with a sense of urgency.”
Defensively both units played well in an attempt to rescue their sputtering offenses.
At the start of the game, the Hawks had first and goal at the one-yard line, but couldn’t get the ball past the goal line. 
Defensively for Barnwell Sammy Murray, Kevin Washington and Josh Johnson held the Hawks to minus two yards on four plays during the possession.
Later in the quarter after a Warhorse interception, the defense denied the Hawk offense on another threat.
This time, Octavius Banes, Patrick Green and Terry Jenkins led the way as the Warhorses stopped the Hawks short of a first down on four plays.
Jenkins, the team leading tackler with 10 stops, including five for losses in the game had three tackles on the series.
In the fourth quarter, the Warhorse defense seemingly came up when another big play when Jenkins forced a fumble and Banes scooped it up and raced 39-yard for a score.
The touchdown, however, was called back on the play due to an inadvertent whistle.
“We thought we had a score on that play, but the referee ruled the play dead after the fumble,” Moore said.
For the Hawk defense, it was the play of Jamell Dukes, Chris Kearse, Colton Butler, Andrew Smith and Rashodd Howze which kept the Warhorses out of the end zone all game.
Dukes led the unit with 12 stops, including three for losses, two fumble recoveries and two sacks. Butler added 10 tackles and a forced fumble. Howze recorded four tackles, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. Smith had six tackles, including three for losses.
“Defensively, we had several players stepping up and playing well,” Berry said. “Several times in the game they had us back on our heels, but we made the plays to keep them off the scoreboard.”