Hill rolls for 137 as Canes clinch region title

Staff
13 hours ago
2 min read

Braylon Hill had 159 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in the first half of the Canes' 50-7 win at Hiram on October 24.

Braylon Hill rushed for 137 yards on only eight carries as Cartersville built a 30-0 first-quarter lead on the way to a 50-7 win over Hiram to secure a Region 7-4A title.

The Canes are idle next week, which is followed by a GHSA-mandated open week. Cartersville returns on Nov. 14 in Weinman Stadium for the first round of the playoffs.

Hill opened the game with a 22-yard reception for 159 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in one half of play as the Canes took a 44-0 lead into the locker room. Quarterback Nate Russell, 12-of-13 for 208 yards and two scores, also exited the game after the first half alongside other starters.

Brady Marchese caught three passes for 36 yards on the Canes’ first possession, finishing with a 12-yarder from Russell less than two minutes into the game. The Georgia signee barely missed getting another touchdown on the next drive before falling out of bounds at the one. Tripp Chatmon bulled his way in on the next play before a two-point conversion attempt to Madoxx Davis fell incomplete for the 13-0 lead.

Ramsey Rowell, who connected on all five point-after attempts, followed up Hill’s first touchdown of the night with a 20-yard field goal for a 23-0 cushion. The Canes’ defense set up the next score as Kylen Pope ran down Hiram quarterback Caleb Carmichael to force a fumble that Chatmon recovered at the Hornet 18. Tyon Coe’s eight-yard run pushed the advantage 30-0.

The Hurricanes' defense bottles up a Hiram ball carrier.

Marchese led the Canes with 84 yards and a score through the air on five touches. Davis finished with 59 yards on four catches. Cooper Melvin’s 51 yards on two receptions included a 34-yard score for a 37-0 advantage midway through the second quarter.

Hill has provided many an electric play this season, and his run to close out the first half certainly applies.

Taking a handoff left near midfield, the senior reversed his field and followed a nice downfield block by Marchese to waterbug his way around tacklers for the 48-yard score and 44-0 Canes lead.

After a Hiram score against Cartersville's defensive backups, Harris Turner led the offense on a 97-yard drive, capped by a 39-yard CJ McClendon run to the two. AJ Townsend scored on the next play, but the running clock expired before the extra point kick, leaving the score at 50-7.