CAMDEN — The Keith High School Bears opened the season on a positive note, as they defeated the Wilcox Central Jaguars 26-8 on the road Friday night.

The Bears got on the board early in the second quarter when quarterback Maurice Crumpton snuck the ball in from two yards out.

The Bears missed the extra point, making it a 6-0 game.

Crumpton’s touchdown was set up by a 20-yard run by fullback Damarquis Lumpkin.

The Bears took that 6-0 lead in halftime and continued the momentum in the third quarter when Delmuss Irby returned a kick for 45 yards.

However, the Bears fumbled it away on the drive, ending their scoring threat.

The Bears got a big play on defense when Wilcox bobbled the punt and Lumpkin and Kendrick Jones made the tackle and put Keith in good position at the Jaguars 40-yard line.

The Bears moved the ball down field to the Jaguars 11-yard line on strong runs by Irby, Charles Johnson, and Walton Young.

Crumpton capped off the drive with an 11-yard run on a quarterback bootleg to make it a 12-0 game.

Keith’s Jabari Moore ran in the two-point conversion to make the score 14-0 in the third quarter.

Irby came up big again for the Bears with an interception on the defensive side of the ball that set up another touchdown that was a 2-yard run by Crumpton for his third of the game to make it 20-0.

The Bears closed out their scoring on the game with a 45-yard run by Johnson.

Carstella Hayes also added an interception for the Bears, as they totaled two turnovers on the night.

Keith head football coach Harry Crum said, overall, the Bears did a fine job, but they have to do a better job of finishing drives.

“I think they did okay, but we had an opportunity right before halftime where we got inside the redzone and we fumbled one away,” Crum said. “We had another fumble on a possession. If we’re going to really develop and get our stride and get better, we’re going to have to not make turnovers like that.”

Keith will play again Friday, Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. in their home and region opener against Sunshine.