Canes start slowly, but roll past Stephens County into second round
After a slow start in wet conditions, Cartersville quarterback Tee Webb threw for three touchdowns and running back Marcus Gary ran for two scores as Cartersville took down visiting Stephens County 34-7 Friday night at Weinman Stadium in the first round of the 2018 Class 4A state playoffs.
Stephens County scored first on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Kenny Colwell to Kamon Taylor to take a 7-0 lead about three minutes into the second quarter, but the Indians' lead would be short-lived.
Webb (photo) then tossed a pair of scoring strikes in the quarter as the Hurricanes’ offense heated up to take a 13-7 advantage at halftime.
The first touchdown pass was a 14-yarder to Dadrian Dennis. The second was a 34-yarder to Marquail Coaxum (photo) on a 4th and 20 play with only 0:19 remaining in the half. Oscar Hernandez made the first PAT, but the second attempt failed.
The go-ahead touchdown was set up when Harrison Allen forced a fumble that was recovered by Sunni Moorehead. Allen later added an interception at the end of the third quarter.
The visiting Indians were stopped on the initial possession of the third quarter setting up a short scoring drive for Cartersville.
Gary capped a 32-yard drive with a 10-yard run to make the score 19-7 before Webb hit Jackson Lowe with a shovel pass, two-point conversion that put the Canes ahead 21-7 with 7:26 to go in the third quarter.
Cartersville’s next possession ended with an interception, but after forcing a punt the Canes started at the midfield stripe.
Gary (photo), who rushed for 164 yards on 21 attempts, finished off the 50-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run, but the PAT failed again to leave Cartersville with a 27-7 lead with 0:54 remaining in the third quarter.
The Canes’ Harrison Allen picked off a pass in the final seconds of the third quarter to set up Cartersville’s final touchdown drive of the night from 36 yards out.
Webb — who finished the night 12-for-19 for 161 yards — found Devonte Ross on a 26-yard screen pass catch and score with 10:45 remaining. The Hernandez PAT put Cartersville up 34-7.
The Hurricanes drove inside the red zone one more time in the final minutes, but turned the ball over on downs at the nine yard line.
Ross finished with four catches for 59 yards for Cartersville. Coaxum caught three balls for 37 yards, and Dennis had three receptions for 27 yards. All three had touchdown catches.
Stephens County finished the year with a 5-6 record.
Second-ranked Cartersville (11-0) advances to host 10th-ranked Ridgeland next Friday night at Weinman Stadium. Ridgeland (8-3) defeated 8th-ranked Flowery Branch 34-14 Friday night in Rossville.
-- Unofficial stats courtesy Nicholas Sullivan, The Daily Tribune News
