Tigers blank North Murray, improve to 3-0
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
September 5, 2026
Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com
Adairsville turned early mistakes by North Murray into points and never let the Mountaineers recover, as the Tigers rolled to a 31-0 victory Friday night at Tigers Stadium.
The win improved Adairsville to 3-0 on the season, while North Murray fell to 0-2.
Adairsville won the opening toss and elected to defer, and the Tigers quickly capitalized on a North Murray turnover. On the first play from scrimmage, Mountaineers quarterback Harrison Horn completed a pass to Eli Smith, who fumbled while attempting to make a move on an Adairsville defender. The Tigers recovered at the North Murray 45-yard line.
Adairsville turned the short field into the game's first points. After seven plays and 38 yards, Alex Ochoa connected on a 25-yard field goal with 7:52 remaining in the first quarter to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead.
The Mountaineers threatened to answer, but Horn's pass on third down was intercepted by Jake Barszcz, who returned the ball to the North Murray 30.
Adairsville needed just six plays to cash in, with Braxton Elrod scoring on a 7-yard touchdown run with 2:48 left in the opening quarter. Ochoa's extra point extended the Tigers' lead to 10-0.
Neither team scored in the second quarter. The only major play came with 2:36 remaining in the half, when Adairsville's KJ Smith intercepted a North Murray pass.
The third quarter was largely a defensive struggle, with the teams exchanging three-and-outs and each having a couple of possessions end on turnovers on downs.
Adairsville finally broke through again late in the quarter after taking possession in excellent field position following a 3-yard punt by the Mountaineers. The Tigers drove 29 yards in six plays, with Zeke Carter scoring on a 12-yard touchdown run with 14 seconds remaining in the quarter. The extra point made it 17-0.
North Murray drove into Adairsville territory early in the fourth quarter, reaching the Tigers' 32-yard line. Backup quarterback Waelyn Bailles then tried to connect with Horn in the end zone, but Torron Hale intercepted the pass and raced 106 yards for a pick-six touchdown. Ochoa's PAT pushed Adairsville's advantage to 24-0 with 9:07 remaining.
Adairsville head coach Jon Cudd was excited bout the blocking Hale received on his return. "It was awesome to see how our guys got out in front of him and blocked. Jake Barszcz had two great blocks on the play that helped lead the way."
The Tigers added one more touchdown after North Murray went three-and-out and again struggled on the ensuing punt, giving Adairsville possession at the Mountaineers' 39-yard line.
Seven plays later, Jayvian Carson scored on an 11-yard touchdown run with 3:50 remaining. Another successful PAT made it 31-0.
Coach Cudd reflected on his team's performance.
"We are super proud to be 3-0. I thought our defense played really well and adjusted to the different sets we saw from them. Our guys did a good job of showing some different looks, and we were able to get into their throwing lanes and get our hands on the ball."
Cudd also looked ahead.
"We are banged up on the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, so it has been hard to get consistency up front, especially on offense, but I felt like we finished strong. Cedartown is a much improved team and will be a great challenge. They are big, they have speed and quickness, and they have great tradition. They are back to doing the things that have made Cedartown a powerhouse over the years. We still have a lot to improve in all phases, and we will get back to work this week."
Adairsville will put its unbeaten record on the line Friday when the Tigers travel to Cedartown.
~~ Larry Gardner contributed to this report.
Comments