Canes score in all phases with 60-0 win over Allatoona
October 18, 2026
Scott Barkley / CanesAthletics.com
Madoxx Davis fights for extra yards against Allatoona on Oct. 16 in Weinman Stadium. Photo by Russell Andrews
Earlier this week, Cartersville High football’s social media team put out a video of players doing their best Conor Foster imitation.
“A lot of them were impressive,” admitted the Canes head coach. “Jorian Bailey’s was great, reminding all the guys that I’m holding them accountable because I love them. Someone said you have to show up on my time, not your time. That was a good one. Coach Wilkins threw his hat, which I’m not real proud of. My children even got in there.”
The highest form of flattery also has these Purple Hurricanes embracing the play-fast-but-disciplined mentality Foster preaches. This time it came across in a 60-0 shutout – the fifth in eight games – over Allatoona as Cartersville moved to 8-0 on the season heading into a bye week.
Last week, the Canes (8-0, 4-0) became the first team in state history to score 48 or more points in each of its first seven games of the season. That record grew with the blowout in Weinman Stadium on Friday. Before the 55-0 Cass win on Oct. 2, Cartersville had 5A’s top-scoring offense at 51.6 points per contest and the No. 1 defense at 5.4 points allowed.
CHS now averages 52.5 points per game while giving up 4.38.
Margins like those could lead to complacency. But, well, that’s not the mentality these players foster.
That is the case, primarily, because many are still sour over a playoff loss last year to Kell that ended a highly productive season.
“We’ve got a lot of guys who feel like they have something to prove,” said Georgia Tech commit and middle linebacker/tight end Cole Crawford. “After how last year ended, we want to leave no doubt and make sure we prove it every time we play and show everybody in the state that we’re legit.”
Something to prove? During the Cartersville High band’s playing of the National Anthem on the field in pre-game, cheerleaders at attention on either side, the wind picked up and caused some pom poms to tumbleweed their way across the field. One made it 19 yards. That pom-pom covered nearly as much ground as Crawford and the Canes D allowed of the first-half Allatoona offense (26).
What little wind Canes’ opponents still have in a game is often knocked out with several scores just before halftime. Three touchdowns in the final five minutes against Cass and Mt. Zion. A 23-point onslaught in the last 5:15 versus Villa Rica. That follows another message sent by Foster – win the final four minutes of the second quarter and first four minutes of the third.
“If you get a turnover coming out of the half, or right before the half and go down and score, that takes the breath out of people,” said Crawford.
One such score against the Buccaneers looked to be a fumble caused by Crawford on a lateral pass with less than three minutes to play in the half. Fellow linebacker Athens Davenport scooped up the ball, but bumped into Crawford and couldn’t get away from pursuers before being dragged down at the Allatoona 5-yard line. The Canes settled for a 25-yard Jayden Nevarez field goal and 52-0 lead.
Another chance came moments later when Cooper Melvin intercepted a pass and returned it 32 yards to the Buccaneer 34. CHS advanced to the 16, but with seven seconds remaining, settled for another Nevarez field goal, this time from 33 yards out, for the 55-0 halftime advantage.
Eight Cartersville first-half possessions ended with scores, plus a Kylen Pope 20-yard interception return caught at point-blank range.
“It was an electric moment, for sure,” said the 6-foot-3, 225-lb. junior defensive end. “I was just trying to make a play on the quarterback and luckily, my teammate, Kaiden Kent, had jumped the screen. The quarterback kind of just threw the ball straight at me, and it stuck in there,” said Pope of his first touchdown since he was a middle school running back.
“I’ve got the size of a defensive end,” he said, “but I’ve got hands, too.”
Speaking of hands, receiver Madoxx Davis had a season-high 167 yards on six receptions, two of which went the distance. As a team, the Canes piled up 466 yards of total offense, 196 on the ground and 270 through the air.
“We focus on preparation,” said Davis. “Playing fast is what separates us from most teams. Every day at practice, we’re working fast so that game day is fast, too. Speed is our identity, because we’re going to be the best-conditioned team. No one’s going to out-condition us, so eventually they’re going to break.”
Cartersville’s first two scores came off Tyon Coe runs. The first showed the senior running back’s power on a seven-yard bruiser through the heart of the defense. The second came on the first play of the next possession, a 77-yard dash that started up the middle before breaking to the right and down the visitors’ sideline.
That play gave Coe 100 yards on four carries. A three-yard loss a couple of drives later kept him from hitting the century mark for the third time this season.
Harris Turner tossed his 12th touchdown of the season – a 34-yarder to Davis that made the score 35-0 early in the second quarter – on a 14-for-20 night for 200 yards. Fellow quarterback Brayden Doss’ lone pass was a 43-yarder to Davis for another touchdown. Doss also finished with 56 yards rushing on four carries, including a 46-yard race to the corner that pushed the lead to 42-0 with 7:06 to play in the first half.
AJ Townsend followed that with a six-yard score to make the advantage 49-0. The two field goals by Nevarez off Allatoona turnovers produced a halftime score of 55-0.
Second-half scoring with a running clock started with a safety on the Buccaneers after a high snap on a punt attempt was kicked out of the end zone. Canes kicker Landon Trevino booted a 25-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter for the 60-0 final.
Complementary football has been key to the Canes’ success, Foster noted.
“They feed off each other,” he said of the offense and defense. “Our offense is explosive, but the defense can give the ball right back to them. It’s fun to see those guys challenge each other. They’re a tough group and don’t want to give up a yard. I love their competitiveness. They’re eager to get better every week.”
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