Canes, Colonels improve to 3-0
Only two of the four local high school football teams were in action Friday night but both came away with victories to remain unbeaten this season.
Cartersville defeated Alexander at home 35-3 while Cass won at Sequoyah 15-10.
Both Woodland and Adairsville had bye weeks.
JENNINGS LEADS CANES PAST COUGARS
Cartersville running back Quante Jennings scored four rushing touchdowns and the Canes’ defense kept Alexander out of the end zone Friday night in a 35-3 win at Weinman Stadium. Jennings — who rushed for 105 yards on 20 carries — scored on runs of three, two, and seven yards in the first half as the Hurricanes took a 28-0 lead at the intermission. Amari White added the other Cartersville first quarter score with a 12-yard touchdown run. The visiting Cougars managed a five-minute drive to start the third quarter, but settled for a 23-yard field goal that narrowed the margin to 28-3. The drive took 13 plays.
Cartersville answered immediately with a drive back down the field. The drive was capped with Jennings’ fourth touchdown of the night. This time the senior found the end zone from 29 yards out putting the Canes up 35-3. Alexander slips to 2-1 on the season. Cartersville (3-0) extended its state record regular season winning streak to 61 games. The Canes travel to Creekside next Friday for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.
COLONELS WIN AT SEQUOYAH, 15-10
Cass trailed Sequoyah at halftime Friday night, but the Colonels’ defense shutout the Chiefs in the second half and kicker Kaleb Speights made a pair of field goals in a 15-10 come-from-behind win. The win moves Cass to a 3-0 record for the first time since 2007 and marks the first time the Colonels have beaten Sequoyah in the nine game series. Kick returner Tino Jones returned the game’s opening kickoff to the Sequoyah 46-yard line to spark the Colonels’ attack early. Five plays later, freshman quarterback Devin Henderson scored on a three-yard keeper as Cass took a 6-0 lead less than two minutes into the game. The PAT kick by Speights failed, however, when it bounced off the right upright. Following a Sequoyah fumble, Cass drove into the red zone again in the first quarter but their drive was thwarted when the Chiefs’ Jack Blackman picked off Devin Henderson in the end zone. Blackman’s return to the six yard line set up the start of a 12-play drive by Sequoyah. The time consuming march saw the Chiefs reach inside the Cass 20-yard line before an ineligible receiver penalty stalled the drive. Sequoyah kicker Steven Zurita nailed a 45-yard field goal to cut the Cass lead to 6-3 with 11:51 remaining in the second quarter. The Chiefs took the lead on their next possession. Running back Jaden Mitchell finalized Sequoyah’s 62-yard, nine-play drive with a four-yard scoring run. Zurita’s extra point gave the Chiefs a 10-6 lead. Cass responded in the final minutes of the half to narrow the deficit to one point, but would trail at the intermission for the first time this season. Utilizing a nine-play drive, the Colonels made the score 10-9 with a 30-yard Speights field goal with 0:07 remaining.
The second half belonged to both defenses, but it was the Cass defense that blanked Sequoyah over the final 24 minutes. The Colonels drove from their own seven to the Sequoyah 26-yard line to set up a go-ahead score. Speights made a 43-yard field goal to give Cass a 12-10 lead with 3:44 remaining in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, the Cass offense mounted another long drive to set up the game’s final points. Starting at their own 22, the Colonels took eight plays to reach the Sequoyah 28-yard line. From there, Speights connected on a 45-yard field goal with 2:07 left in the game. His ensuing kickoff reached the end zone forcing Sequoyah to begin from their own 20-yard line and the Colonels’ defense stopped the Chiefs on downs — including sacks on both third and fourth down to seal the final score. Devin Henderson finished 14-for-21 passing for 185 yards. He also rushed for 74 yards and a touchdown on 17 attempts.
Connor Ray had three catches for 35 yards. C.J. Pipkin hauled in four passes for 69 yards and Jakeevin Henderson contributed 38 yards on three receptions. Jaiden Avalos caught two passes for 24 yards and Tanayce Calhoun added a 19-yard reception. Rushing stats were not available for Josh Varnum, but the senior had multiple key inside runs in the Colonels’ two second half scoring drives. Cass returns home next Friday night for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff against Temple.
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