Football roundup: Canes win battle with Patriots
Cartersville quarterback Tee Webb threw for three touchdowns while Evan Slocum and Harrison Allen ran for two scores each as the Purple Hurricanes held off a second half challenge from the Sandy Creek Patriots for a 52-42 Region 5-AAAA win.
The two teams traded scores in the first half before Cartersville posted the final ten points of the half for a 38-28 lead at halftime. Sandy Creek’s Rashad Amos, who rushed for over 100 yards in the loss, had touchdown runs of five and 50 yards in the first quarter as the Patriots took leads of 7-0 and 21-14. Quarterback Matt Williams, who threw for over 450 yards in the game, connected on touchdown passes to Amos from 69 yards and Ahmad Jackson from 43 yards out. The pass to Amos gave Sandy Creek a 14-7 lead in the first quarter. The connection with Jackson tied the game 28-28 with 7:43 left in the first half.
Meanwhile, the Canes’ offense was lighting up the scoreboard too.
Webb connected with Sam Phillips (photo) for a 26-yard touchdown pass with 9:02 to go in the first quarter to match the Patriots’ opening score. The senior quarterback also found Devonte Ross for a 43-yard touchdown and Phillips again for a 71-yard screen pass touchdown in the second quarter. The connection with Ross gave the Hurricanes their first lead of the night at 28-21 with 9:55 remaining in the first half. The screen pass touchdown put Cartersville up 35-28 with 6:29 left in the half. Slocum had scoring runs from three yards and 15 yards in the first quarter to tie the score at 14-14 and 21-21. Oscar Hernandez, who made each of his PAT kicks, converted a 35-yard field goal in the final minute of the first half to give Cartersville a ten point lead at the intermission.
Cartersville controlled much of the third quarter and built a 52-28 lead. Both scoring drives were capped by short runs by Harrison Allen.
The Patriots, down by 24 points heading into the fourth quarter, did not go away. Williams scored on a seven-yard touchdown run and his two-point coversion pass to Brian Branch made the score 52-36 with 11:01 remaining in the game. He then connected with Miles Thornton for 21 yards and a touchdown with 8:15 remaining but the two-point pass play failed leaving the Patriots ten points down. Sandy Creek had one final possession in plus-territory following a Cartersville punt, but turned the possession over on downs at the Canes’ 22-yard line.
Webb finished the game 18-of-26 for 223 yards with three passing touchdowns. Slocum had 111 yards rushing on 20 attempts and two touchdowns. Allen finished with 12 carries for 72 yards and two scores. Phillips finished with 11 receptions totaling 177 yards and two touchdowns. Ross caught three passes for 70 yards and a score.
Cartersville has now won 77 of their last 78 regular season games and are in solid position to with an eighth consecutive region title. The last regular season loss for the Canes was a 27-26 defeat to North Cobb on Sept. 5, 2014. In region play, the streak dates further back. The last region loss was 18-10 to Cedartown on Oct. 21, 2011.
Sandy Creek (6-1, 2-1) hosts LaGrange next Friday.
The victory gives Cartersville (8-0, 4-0) an inside track toward another region championship. The Canes will host Chapel Hill (4-3, 1-2) and travel to Troup County (5-2, 2-1) to close out the regular season.
SONORAVILLE 28, ADAIRSVILLE 7
Blade Bryant ran for two touchdowns and caught two touchdown passes as Sonoraville topped Adairsville Friday night at Tigers’ Stadium, 28-7. Bryant had an eight-yard touchdown reception from Brady Lackey midway through the first quarter and scored on a five-yard run in the opening minute of the second quarter as the Phoenix took an early 14-0 lead. A long Adairsville pass play moved the ball inside the red zone later in the period and Tigers quarterback Conner Crunkleton scored on a one-yard, fourth down keeper that made the score 14-7 at halftime. Following a scoreless third quarter, Bryan scored on a seven-yard run with about nine minutes to go that put the Phoenix ahead 21-7 and caught a 27-yard touchdown pass from Lackey with about two minutes remaining for the 28-7 final score.
Sonoraville improved to 4-3 overall and 3-2 in Region 6-AAA. The Phoenix will host Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe next Friday. Adairsville (3-5, 2-4) travels to Murray County next Friday night.
EAST PAULDING 42, CASS 7 East Paulding running back Rayne Chuma finished with four rushing touchdowns as the Raiders won their homecoming game over visiting Cass Friday night, 42-7. Chuma had a 36 yard dash in the final minute of the second quarter to cap off an 81-yard drive giving East Paulding a 14-0 lead at halftime. The only other scoring in the first half came on a 30-yard, pick-six by sophomore defensive back Jordan Harvey. He caught a deflection of a pass from Cass quarterback Logan Nelson and returned it for a touchdown midway through the second period.
On the kickoff return to start the third quarter, Cass return man Tahj Dawson was stripped by K.J. Brown of the Raiders at the 26 yard line. Brown finished the play by returning the turnover for a touchdown and a 21-0 lead. On their ensuing possession, Cass drove 80 yards in four plays to make the score 21-7 but would get no closer. David Gbadie scored for the Colonels on a 57-yard run with 9:34 remaining in the third quarter and Kaleb Speights converted the PAT kick. From there, Chuma scored touchdowns on each of the Raiders next three possessions. Touchdown runs of 23, 23, and 46 yards made it a 42-7 lead and forced a mercy-rule, running clock in the fourth quarter.
East Paulding improved to 1-6 overall and 1-4 in Region 7-AAAAA. The Raiders travel to Paulding County Friday. Cass (3-5, 2-4) hosts Kell next Friday.
