The Cartersville Purple Hurricanes defeated the Starr’s Mill Panthers on Friday night. In a game loaded with offensive fireworks, the Cartersville Hurricanes pulled away late to secure a thrilling 53-35 victory over Starr’s Mill. Behind a balanced attack and key defensive plays, the Hurricanes showcased their resilience, outlasting a determined Panthers squad.
First Half: Trading Blows
Cartersville set the tone early as Baylon Long powered into the end zone on a 7-yard run to give the Hurricanes a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter. Starr’s Mill quickly responded, with quarterback Logan Inagawa finding Lincoln Delaere for a 29-yard touchdown. However, a missed PAT left Cartersville clinging to a 7-6 lead.
The Inagawa-Delaere duo struck again in the second quarter, connecting on a 48-yard touchdown to put Starr’s Mill ahead 13-7. But Cartersville quarterback Nate Russell answered with two touchdown passes—an 11-yarder to Jamauri Brice and a 44-yard bomb to Adarrian Taylor-Wilson—giving the Hurricanes a 21-13 edge late in the quarter.
As the half wound down, Inagawa found Thomas Cochran for a 9-yard touchdown, but a failed two-point conversion kept Cartersville on top 21-19 at halftime.
Third Quarter: Offensive Fireworks Continue
Cartersville came out of the locker room on fire. Long scored his second rushing touchdown of the night, this one from 8 yards out, to extend the Hurricanes’ lead to 28-19. Starr’s Mill responded with Inagawa scoring on a 9-yard run, narrowing the gap to 28-26.
Ramsey Rowell’s 26-yard field goal put Cartersville ahead 31-26, but Starr’s Mill reclaimed the lead as Inagawa and Delaere connected for their third touchdown, a 48-yard strike that made it 32-31. Cartersville wasted no time responding, with Russell hitting Taylor-Wilson for their second touchdown of the night—a 44-yarder—followed by a successful two-point conversion. The Hurricanes surged back in front 39-32 heading into the fourth quarter.
Fourth Quarter: Cartersville Pulls Away
Starr’s Mill kept things close early in the fourth with a 26-yard field goal, cutting Cartersville’s lead to 39-35. But the Hurricanes seized control from there. Andrew Purdy came off the bench to deliver a clutch touchdown pass to Davis Waddell, extending the lead to 46-35. Moments later, Cole Crawford’s interception gave Cartersville the ball deep in Panthers territory, setting up a game-sealing score.
Long capped off his stellar performance with a short touchdown run—his third of the night—pushing Cartersville to a commanding 53-35 lead with just over five minutes to play.
Final Thoughts
Cartersville’s offensive balance and timely defense proved too much for Starr’s Mill. Nate Russell’s poise under center, Baylon Long’s dominance on the ground, and key contributions from the receiving corps highlighted the Hurricanes’ effort. Starr’s Mill battled valiantly, with Logan Inagawa and Lincoln Delaere forming an unstoppable duo through the air, but they couldn’t keep pace in the final quarter. Cartersville will hit the road next Friday night and will play the North Oconee Titans.