Woodland drops region battle of Wildcats
October 2, 2026
Tucker Cole / Times-Georgian
Special to Bartow Sports Zone
Villa Rica senior running back Emmanuel Ajayi scored five touchdowns Friday in Woodland's 42-3 region loss.
Woodland got off to a fast start, as Clayton McArdle ran back the opening kickoff to Villa Rica's 10-yard line. Chad Waller converted a 25-yard field goal to give the visiting Wildcats an early 3-0 lead.
However, the hosting Villa Rica Wildcats scored 42 unanswered after that, leaning on Ajayi on the ground and through the air.
After a 12-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Blaine Brown to receiver Josiah Walker was called back for holding, Ajayi took a direct snap a couple of plays later and ran in a 2-yard touchdown to take the lead, 7-3.
Villa Rica's defense then forced a Woodland punt, and Ajayi sprinted for a 46-yard score a few snaps later.
A 42-yard touchdown pass from Brown to Jason Hart added to Villa Rica's 21-3 lead just a minute into the second quarter.
Woodland gained some momentum after a fourth-down conversion in its own territory, but quarterback Sam Ray IV's floated pass was tipped and intercepted by Tamaj Beasley.
Defensive back Jonathan Hart gave Woodland back the ball with an interception in the end zone, but the Villa Rica defense forced another punt.
Villa Rica's offense stole the show again to end the first half, adding an 8-yard touchdown run by Ajayi to make it 28-3.
Ajayi did the same to start the second half, breaking away from multiple Woodland defenders to score a 30-yard rushing touchdown. Alex Melendez's extra point made it 35-3 for Villa Rica.
Another Woodland punt set up an 86-yard wheel route touchdown from Brown to Ajayi, stretching the lead to 42-3 with seven minutes left in the third quarter.
Woodland moved into Villa Rica territory behind running back Hayden Collins, but Ray threw his second interception of the night to Villa Rica's Brysen Davis on a jump ball in the end zone.
A tackle for a loss by Zimere Franks gave Woodland the ball back, but Villa Rica maintained its 42-3 lead heading into a running clock fourth quarter, and that's where the score stayed.
Villa Rica improves to 5-2 on the season and 1-2 in region play and will be at Allatoona next week.
Woodland drops to 2-4 for the season and 0-2 in region play and will have a bye next week before taking on Dalton on the road on Friday, Oct. 16.
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