The Adairsville Tigers (3-1, 2-0) improved to 2-0 in region play with a 43-14 win over the Lafayette Ramblers on Friday night.
Adairsville drew first blood with a 6-yard rush by Courtney Slocum just five minutes left in the first quarter. Lafayette would even things up with a 21-yard touchdown run by Jamario Clements just before the first quarter could expire.
The Tigers were able to once again regain the lead in the second quarter on a 39-yard touchdown pass from Conner Crunkelton to Dylan Matthews, who made an acrobatic, one-handed catch around the Rambler defender. Lafayette drove the ball down the field and was looking to score again before Adairsville forced a fumble and recovery. Off the turnover, the Ramblers were able to force a fumble recovery of their own and would score off that turnover on a 1-yard run by Clements with just 30 seconds left in the half.
It appeared that the momentum might be favoring Lafayette as the first half ended. But Adairsville had other ideas as the Tigers scored 29 unanswered points in the second half.
Crunkelton scored on the Tigers’ opening drive on a 9-yard touchdown run. On Lafayette’s opening drive of the half, Adairsville forced a three-and-out. To make matters worse, a bad snap on the punt attempt was recovered by Lafayette in the end zone for an Adairsville safety. With the offense still on the attack, the Tigers scored on a 77-yard touchdown pass from Crunkelton to Slocum for a 29-14 lead.
Tokyo Gordon had an excellent game as he had a big fourth-down stop in the second half and then had an interception, which set up another Adairsville scoring drive. Ja’Maury Johnson scored on two 2-yard rushing touchdowns to give Adairsville its 43-14 victory and safely put the game away.
Adairsville will travel to Ringgold next Friday night for a 7:30 kickoff on a game that can be heard on bartowsportszone.com.