Hornets' second-half ground game buries Colonels
September 14, 2024
The Hiram Hornets’ rushing game took over Friday night and scored 21 unanswered points in the first 16 minutes of the second half to defeat the Cass Colonels, 41-27.
Cass led 21-14 at halftime on three touchdown passes by Brodie McWhorter. Still, his fumble inside the red zone midway through the third quarter halted a potential go-ahead drive, and his injury later in the half all but ended the Colonels’ chances of keeping pace.
The junior signal caller left the game late in the third quarter with an apparent broken ankle.
McWhorter dropped to pass on a third and five play from the Cass 41-yard line and scrambled up the middle. He came up two yards short of the line to gain and could not return to his feet. He was helped off the field and later carried to the Cass locker room.
Elijah Slocum took over at quarterback for the remainder of the night and engineered a fourth-quarter scoring drive, but Hiram added a long touchdown run on their next possession to put the game away.
McWhorter’s first half touchdown passes went to Naz Fleurine, Izak Koep, and Slocum as the Colonels traded scores with the Hornets.
Following the opening kickoff, Fleurine caught a 22-yard touchdown pass to cap a six-play, 57-yard drive by Cass. The TD reception and Mason Madrid’s PAT kick gave the Colonels a 7-0 lead with 7:29 left in the first quarter.
Hiram knotted the score at 7-7 on Kaden Hamilton’s 40-yard touchdown sprint later in the quarter at the 2:29 mark.
Koep’s catch was on the next drive and was intended for Slocum. The quick slant pass deflected off Slocum and a Hiram defender directly into the hands of Koep, who sprinted the rest of the way for a 44-yard score. Madrid’s kick gave Cass a 14-7 lead with 0:41 remaining in the quarter.
A special teams mistake by the Colonels set up a short field for Hiram’s next touchdown.
A high snap resulted in Cass punter Anthony Quijada being tackled at his 20-yard line. Six plays later, the Hornets’ running back DaShaun Williams scored on a 3-yard plunge to tie the score 14-14 with 3:09 remaining before the half.
Cass answered with a 72-yard scoring drive before the intermission.
Key passes by McWhorter to Chase Tatum and Fleurine were mixed in with three receptions by Slocum during the 11-play drive. The touchdown reception by Slocum was a 10-yard crossing route and a pinpoint throw by McWhorter with 0:08 left in the half. Madrid’s kick gave Cass a 21-14 lead at halftime.
Hiram took the second half's opening kickoff and quickly drove 77 yards to tie the game. A 63-yard pass from Ethan Latimore to Hamilton covered most of the yardage. Williams finished the drive with a 10-yard run with 10:44 left in the quarter, making the score 21-21.
The Colonels marched back down the field, ready to regain the lead. A flea-flicker pass from McWhorter to Tatum covered more than 30 yards, and then McWhorter raced inside the 10-yard line during the next play but fumbled into the end zone. Hiram recovered the fumble and made the best of the ensuing possession.
Five straight runs moved the Hornets into Cass territory before Latimore found Dino Loyd racing open for a 43-yard touchdown pass. The PAT kick by Josh Corvera Sostre gave the Hornets a 28-21 lead with 5:14 remaining in the third quarter.
McWhorter was hurt on the third play of the next Cass possession, and Cass punted the ball away.
Starting from their 26-yard line, the Hornets methodically marched down the field to take a two-score lead. Thirteen of the fourteen plays in the drive were running plays, with Williams finishing the drive with a 6-yard run at 8:37 left in the game.
Cass scored on the next possession with Slocum calling the signals. The 11-play drive was mixed with pass plays and scrambles by the quarterback. It culminated with a 1-yard run by Braylon Hill to make the score 35-27 with 3:38 remaining.
An onside kick attempt by the Colonels was unsuccessful, and 13 seconds later, Williams broke free for his fourth touchdown run of the night. His 52-yard sprint left the final score, 41-27.
McWhorter was 12-for-18 passing for 196 yards and three touchdowns. His career passing yards are now paused at 4,972 in his third season.
Slocum caught three passes for 42 yards and one touchdown before shifting to QB, where he was 4-for-7 for 80 yards.
Hill had 15 rushing attempts for 47 yards and one score. Fleurine caught five passes for 73 yards and one touchdown. Koep had three receptions for 74 yards and one touchdown.
Hiram (2-3, 1-0) has a bye week before traveling to Dalton on September 27.
Cass (3-2, 0-1) visits Cedartown on Friday for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.
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