State Playoffs: Canes slay Dragons, Adairsville eliminated at top-ranked Cedar Grove
Cartersville won for the 41st time in a row and quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw for four touchdowns and 272 yards in the first half as the Canes built a 42-0 lead and cruised to a 48-21 win over Pickens Friday at Weinman Stadium in the first round of the Class AAAA state playoffs.
Lawrence had scoring strikes to T.J. Horton, Jackson Lowe, and E.J. Turner twice as Cartersville took control early.
Horton’s score came on a 17-yard reception that was the Canes’ second play and was on the heals of his 40-yard catch on the Canes’ opening play.
Lowe’s touchdown reception was a 41-yarder over the middle and Turner had a 3-yard touchdown catch and a 50-yard touchdown reception. He would have added another on a 24-yard scoring play if not for a fumble recovered by teammate Kaleb Chatmon in the end zone.
Cartersville running back Rico Frye scored on a one-yard run in the second quarter and Marcus Gary added a 19-yard touchdown reception on a screen pass with 4:37 remaining in the third quarter that made the score 48-7.
Pickens scored on a fumble return early in the third quarter and added two more scores against the Hurricanes’ second unit.
Lawrence was 10-for-13 for 272 yards and four touchdowns in the first half alone.
Cartersville (11-0) hosts Blessed Trinity next Friday night in the second round of the state playoffs. Blessed Trinity (9-2) blanked Oconee County in the first round, 35-0.
CEDAR GROVE 48, ADAIRSVILLE 13
The top-ranked Cedar Grove Saints are not only the defending state champions in Class AAA, they proved Friday night they are as good as advertised.
The Saints (11-0), who are now riding a 21-game win streak, eliminated Adairsville in the Class AAA state playoffs opening round, 48-13.
Cedar Grove streaked to a 21-0 lead early on a 38-yard touchdown pass from Xavier Dennis to Jadon Haselwood, a 61-yard Darrell Neal jaunt, and a 50-yard punt return by Haselwood.
The Tigers’ only score of the first half came on a 30-yard field goal by Josh Honea on the final play of the half.
Dennis and Haselwood connected again early in the third quarter to give the Saints a 28-3 lead and Adairsville answered with their only touchdown of the night.
Under heavy pressure and scrambling to his right, Tigers’ quarterback Mason Boswell found Travon Branch about 20 yards downfield and the speedster took it the rest of the way for a 50-yard scoring play. Honea, who added another 26-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter, converted the PAT.
Cedar Grove added two more touchdown runs and a 26-yard touchdown pass from Davis to Israel Spivey to round out the Saints’ scoring.
Cedar Grove advances to host Dawson County in the second round of the Class AAA state playoffs. Dawson County (8-3) eliminated Hart County Friday night 49-14.
Adairsville’s season ends with a 6-5 mark.
