The Cartersville Purple Hurricanes (2-0) dominated the Rockmart Yellow Jackets 35-6 Friday night, capitalizing on five turnovers and numerous explosive plays both through the air and on the ground. While the opening quarter saw little scoring, Cartersville had opportunities to put points on the board, attempting two early field goals but missing both, which kept the score tied at 0-0 for the first nine and a half minutes.
Momentum shifted late in the first quarter when Ja’Caiden Leonard broke free for a spectacular 63-yard run, giving the Hurricanes a 7-0 lead with just 2:34 left. Cartersville continued to extend their lead in the second quarter. Tyon Coe burst through for a 54-yard touchdown on a screen pass from Nate Russell, making it 14-0 early in the quarter. Later, after a sustained drive deep into Rockmart territory, Baylon Long punched it in from one yard out, increasing the lead to 21-0.
Rockmart managed to respond when Luke Parker connected with Tristan Anderson for a 2-yard touchdown pass, but the Hurricanes blocked the extra point attempt, leaving the score at 21-6 with just over a minute left in the second quarter. Unwilling to coast into halftime, Cartersville struck again with a 53-yard touchdown pass from Russell to Brady Marchese, pushing the lead to 28-6 at the break.
The second half began in Cartersville’s favor. The defense stepped up as Reed Ezell intercepted a tipped pass, returning possession to the Hurricanes at their own 22-yard line with 8:09 remaining in the third quarter. A few drives later, the defense forced another turnover, recovering a fumble and halting Rockmart’s offensive efforts.
In the fourth quarter, Cartersville’s defense continued its dominance. Brayden Logan intercepted a pass at the Hurricanes’ 20-yard line with 11:27 remaining. Seven minutes later, Long capped off a commanding performance with a 17-yard rushing touchdown, increasing the lead to 35-6 with 4:42 left in the game. One final turnover on a muffed punt by Rockmart sealed Cartersville’s 35-6 victory, advancing their record to 2-0 to start the season.
Next week, the Cartersville Hurricanes host the Hapeville Charter Hornets Friday night at 7:30. You can catch the game on WBHF with pregame coverage beginning at 6:00.