Benji Campbell broke through the line, tripped over an ankle tackle and lurched forward. As he stumbled, the Tri-County quarterback could see the goal line.

Like the rest of Porters Chapel Academy’s opponents this season, he just couldn’t get there.

Campbell fell at the 1-yard line and time ran out in the first half. It was the closest anyone this season has come to scoring a touchdown on PCA, whose defense ran its remarkable streak of dominance to eight games without a touchdown allowed in Friday’s 28-7 win over Tri-County.

&#8220It’s right up there with as good as anybody I’ve seen in single-A in nine years,” Tri-County coach Bo Milton said of PCA’s defense. &#8220They’ve got so much speed. And they bend a little bit, but they haven’t broken.”

Campbell did find the end zone on the very next play. He stripped Cole Smith of the ball and returned it 35 yards for a score on the second half kickoff. But PCA did not give up an offensive touchdown, and showed the kind of defensive firepower they’ll need to make a run at the school’s first state championship.

The Eagles allowed only three first downs and 40 total yards in the second half. It helped them overcome five fumbles – two of which were lost in their own territory – 95 yards in penalties, four dropped passes and a generally crummy offensive performance.

&#8220Whenever our offense does slouch, our defense has to step up. We’re a team. We have to make up for our losses,” said PCA’s Kenny Simms, who rushed for 137 yards and a touchdown, and also had two sacks at defensive end.

PCA only ran eight offensive plays in the opening period and held the ball for just 2 minutes and 22 seconds. The Rebels made enough mistakes, though, for the Eagles to pounce on.

A low punt snap led to a fumble and a 17-yard touchdown return by Blake Purvis on the game’s opening series. In the second quarter, a 16-yard punt return and a personal foul penalty set the Eagles up at the Tri-County 23-yard line. Hayden Hales scored on a 4-yard run four plays later.

And late in the first half, a shanked punt gave PCA another short field. Hales capped a brief 39-yard scoring drive with a 1-yard quarterback sneak that put the Eagles ahead 21-0 with 1:01 to play.

After Campbell’s strip on the second-half kickoff, PCA’s defense clamped down. The Rebels picked up two first downs on a pair of third-quarter drives, but were forced to punt each time. Then, in the fourth quarter, they failed to capitalize on a pair of recovered PCA fumbles.

&#8220We knew we had to come up big. If they score on those two fumbles, it’s back to a tie ballgame,” Purvis said. &#8220We knew it was up to us to keep the game in control.”