THOMASVILLE – Tift County will take a week to reasses, then jump back into the Region 1-6A football battles after a tough battle against the Thomas County Central Yellow Jackets Friday, Oct. 6.
With an offensive attack every bit as good as its reputation, the Jackets jumped out within seconds, forcing a fumble on the opening kickoff. When the final horn sounded for the night, TCC had a 56-0 advantage.
Freshman quarterback Damieon Dixon had his first start for the Blue Devils, completing six of 14 attempts for 63 yards. Forty-one of those came on a catch by Taylan Morrow just before halftime.
TCC scored 21 in the 1st quarter, starting with an eight-yard run by Tray Brenton two plays into the game. The Jackets began the drive on Tift’s 8 after recovering a fumble on the kickoff.
Drew Reneau kicked the first of his seven extra points at 11:29.
Three minutes later, Brenton scored again, this time on a 26-yard burst. Brenton added his third at 3:25, a play that it appeared that Brenton tackled, but he was ruled to have rolled over the defender and not touched the ground. That was an 18-yard rush.
Damion Moate got Tift its initial first down with an 11-yard run. Dixon immediately followed with his first completion, 10 yards to Morrow.
The Devils got a boost on a roughing the passer call that knocked off Dixon’s helmet, then crossed the 50 on a run by Moate nd short completion to Morrow.
Yardage ran out there, however, and Corey Howard punted inside the red zone.
TCC responded with their longest drive of the evening, 12 plays and 82 yards. QB Jaylen Johnson finished this one off himself, going over from two yards out at 6:40.
A partial punt block set the Jackets up for the next score, with Ahmad Ponder scoring one play after Johnson passed them down to the 1.
Kendarius Reddick pushed the score to 42-0 in the half on a punt return touchdown.
Thomas County Central called a late timeout in the half, perhaps looking for one more crack at the goal. Tift foiled that, though, with Dixon completing to Morrow near the bench, a pickup of 41 yards.
Shurrod Rich had the Devils on the 41, but with time running out Dixon took a deep shot. TCC picked it off to end the half.
A running clock sped up the rest of the contest.
Johnson had a last touchdown in him, a 40-yard pass to Malachi Thomas to open the 3rd quarter a long kickoff return.
A wacky play gave Tift a takeaway for the game. Dixon found a receiver for some yardage, but the Jackets knocked the ball out. TCC took off towards the end zone, but determined Devils put a stop to that, knocking the ball free again and recovering it for themselves.
The defense had their best series after this, Bryan Melton stopping Carson Creech short of a first down. The Jackets tried a 28-yard field goal, but it went wide right.
Scoring wrapped on Kris Wilhelm’s 28-yard pass to Kobe Carnage midway through the 4th quarter.
Dai’jon Haynes returned the kickoff to the 45, setting up Tift’s best drive.
That drive almost ended on a punt, but the Jackets roughed Howard and the Devils got new life.
Rich received solid pushes from his line to pick up a 4th down at the 33. Tift was on the TCC 25 when time expired.
Morrow had an unofficial 54 yards on three receptions.
Moate, Rich and Kamari Holloman shared carries. Moate ran 16 times for 44 yards.
Tift’s next game will be at Veterans Oct. 20. The Warhawks (3-4) fell by a 56-16 margin at Lee County Oct. 6. Veterans lost to TCC 52-0 in their 1-6A opener.