Tigers strike early, blank Panthers

October 31, 2026

Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com

The Adairsville Tigers scored three touchdowns in the first quarter and never let up, rolling to a 38-0 shutout of the Ridgeland Panthers on Friday night at Tigers Stadium.

Adairsville improved to 7-2 overall and 3-1 in Region 7-4A with the victory, while Ridgeland fell to 1-8 overall and 0-4 in region play.

The Tigers wasted little time establishing control, opening the game with a six-play, 61-yard scoring drive capped by a 9-yard touchdown run from Ezequiel “Zeke” Carter. Alex Ochoa added the extra point for a 7-0 lead with 9:38 remaining in the first quarter.

After the Adairsville defense forced a three-and-out, the Tigers struck again. Carter finished a three-play, 32-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run at the 5:35 mark, and Ochoa's extra point extended the advantage to 14-0.

Adairsville added a third touchdown late in the opening quarter. Quarterback Braxton Elrod connected with Evan Hardin on a 7-yard touchdown pass to cap a five-play, 49-yard drive with 1:12 remaining. Ochoa's kick made it 21-0.

The Tigers' defense continued to keep Ridgeland off the scoreboard, forcing another three-and-out before stopping the Panthers on downs to end the first quarter.

"I was very proud of the way we started," said Tigers' head coach Jon Cudd on Saturday morning. "It was probably our best start in all three phases. Our offense was clicking early and stayed balanced, and the defense played very solid. We had lots of guys get touches and spread the ball around well."

After Adairsville punted on its opening possession of the second quarter, Ridgeland put together its most promising drive of the first half. The Panthers moved 59 yards on seven plays, but Cash Ellis missed a 39-yard field-goal attempt wide right with 6:51 remaining.

The Tigers responded with one of their biggest plays of the night. On the third play of the ensuing possession, Torron Hale broke loose for a 65-yard touchdown run, completing an 80-yard scoring drive and pushing Adairsville's lead to 28-0 with 5:01 left in the first half. Ochoa added the extra point.

Adairsville's defense forced another takeaway on Ridgeland's next possession when running back Aiden Shelton fumbled on the drive's fourth play. Hunter Gilley recovered for the Tigers at their own 37-yard line.

Neither team scored again before halftime, and the Tigers carried their 28-0 advantage into the break.

The defenses controlled much of the third quarter until Adairsville put together a scoring drive late in the period. The Tigers covered 47 yards in five plays, setting up Ochoa for a successful 22-yard field goal with 4:24 remaining. The kick increased the lead to 31-0.

Ridgeland was forced to punt on its next possession, and Adairsville added the game's final touchdown early in the fourth quarter. The Tigers marched 92 yards on 10 plays, with John Bailey scoring on a 3-yard run at the 8:45 mark. Ochoa's extra point completed the scoring at 38-0.

Adairsville's defense preserved the shutout, and the Tigers ran out the clock to secure the victory.

"Defensively, we have stayed steady. We had a couple of early busts but got them on the ground and made them snap it again. We will be challenged next week as Calhoun seems to be hitting their stride. We will need to coach and play extremely well to give ourselves a chance," Cudd concluded.

The Tigers will return home next week to host Calhoun, which enters the matchup with a 5-4 overall record and a 4-0 mark in Region 7-4A.

~~ Larry Gardner contributed to this report.