Friday night lights: Canes win another thriller to stay unbeaten

The Cartersville Hurricanes went back and forth for four quarters with the visiting Hiram Hornets Friday night at Weinman Stadium and pulled out a 35-34 win in their third straight close game in as many weeks.

The two teams matched first-quarter touchdowns. Hiram runningback Kaden Hamilton scored on a 45-yard run and Cartersville quarterback Nate Russell connected with tight end Connor Brasfield for an 11-yard score for a 7-7 tie.

After the Canes blocked a punt and took over at their own 45-yard line, Russell hit Khristian Lando on a quick slant that turned into a 55-yard touchdown. The pass play gave Cartersville a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter.

Hiram made a 47-yard field goal with about five minutes remaining in the half to make the score 14-10 but Lando got loose again shortly after for a 35-yard scoring jaunt that put Cartersville up 21-10.

The Hornets’ Chase Tyler picked off a pass that set up another Hiram field goal and following another Cartersville turnover — this time a fumble, Hiram scored on a six-yard fade route with 0:03 left in the first half. A two-point conversion pass was successful and the Hornets and Hurricanes went to the intermission knotted 21-21.

A rushing touchdown by the Hornets and a 65-yard touchdown scamper by Lando in the third quarter made the score 28-28 heading into the final quarter.

Hiram’s Tyler hauled in a 23-yard touchdown pass with just over six minutes remaining in the game but the Hornets failed to convert the PAT. The missed kick left Hiram with a 34-28 lead.

With just over three minutes left in the game, Lando capped off a lengthy Canes drive with a three-yard plunge. Kicker Ryan Johnson converted his fifth PAT kick of the night and Cartersville held a 35-34 lead with just over two minutes remaining.

The Canes’ defense then stopped Hiram on the ensuing drive and turned the ball over on downs with key stops on third and fourth down.

The Hurricanes were then able to run out the clock to secure their eighth win of the year.

Khristian Lando rushed for 205 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries. Nate Russell passed for 183 yards. Jamauri Brice had 105 receiving yards. Kendarious Brown rushed for 187 yards for the Hornets, and Kaden Hamilton ran for 115. Hiram had 352 yards rushing as a team.

Hiram (6-2, 1-2) hosts Cass next Friday night.

Cartersville (8-0, 3-0) plays at Woodland on Thursday night.

CALHOUN 48, WOODLAND 13

The Wildcats had an early 7-0 lead at Calhoun Friday night with Cam Williams finding paydirt on a 6-yard run less than four minutes into the game, but the host Yellow Jackets responded with 21 unanswered to gain a 21-7 advantage. Calhoun's Caden Williams scored on a 28-yard run before quarterback Trey Townsend connected with Bryant Arnold for a 5-yard score late in the first quarter. Townsend then found Emaree Winston on a 27-yard touchdown pass early in the second period to make the score 21-7.

Woodland's Nick Miranda kicked a pair of short field goals late in the second quarter and early in the third to narrow Calhoun’s lead to 28-13. He booted a 22-yarder with 4:52 left in the first half and made a 37-yarder at the 8:40 mark of the third period. The two field goals were sandwiched around a late second-quarter 30-yard rushing touchdown by Williams of the Yellow Jackets.

Calhoun added to its lead with a 59-yard touchdown pass from Townsend to Winston in the third quarter, an 8-yard scoring pass from Townsend to Ripkin West near the end of the third quarter, and an 18-yard touchdown run by Hunter White in the fourth quarter.

Woodland (2-6, 0-3) hosts Cartersville on Thursday evening in a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

Calhoun (6-2, 2-1) visits Dalton next Friday.

~~ David Archer, Jr. contributed to this portion of the report.

DALTON 38, CASS 13

A stout rushing attack by the Dalton Catamounts took down the visiting Cass Colonels Friday night, 38-13.

Dalton runningback Adriel Hernandez had touchdown runs of 13-, 11-, 8-, and 5-yards and rushed for 211 yards as the Catamounts scored 35 unanswered points across the first through third periods.

The hosts mixed in a 30-yard touchdown pass from Ethan Long to Bubba Turner in the second quarter. The Catamounts also added a 41-yard field goal late in the game by Adrian Gongora who also made five PAT kicks.

The Colonels led 7-0 on a quick four-play drive to begin the game. Quarterback Brodie McWhorter connected with Sacovie White for a 51-yard scoring pass that capped a 69-yard drive just one minute into the game.

Cass did not score again until the first minute of the fourth quarter when the McWhorter-White duo hooked up for a second time with a 45-yard touchdown strike.

Dalton (6-2, 2-1) hosts Calhoun next Friday.

Cass (4-4, 1-2) travels to Hiram for a Friday night matchup in Paulding County.