By Lonnie Turner
Dillon’s #5 Eri’Reon Hayes catches a pass and carries for a first down with Latta’s #2 Charles Mace, #13 Johnathan Ray, and #22 Jordan Smith combining to bring him down.
Malique Gregory was at the quarterback slot filling in for Avery McCall, who is still nursing a bruised shoulder that he suffered late in Dillon’s 27-21 loss to Mallard Creek, NC. Gregory completed six of eight pass attempts, all in the first half, for 100 yards and a touchdown. He also added a touchdown on a quarterback draw that covered 45 yards near the end of the first quarter.
Blue, who finished the game with 75 yards on eight carries, started the scoring with a 23-yard run with 9:35 left in the first quarter, but Tara Grimsley’s extra point attempt sailed off to the left of the uprights.
Following Latta’s second three and out series, the Wildcats took over at the Latta 39, but on the first down play, the Latta defense forced Gregory to fumble the ball away after a one-yard loss. The Viking offense was unable to move the ball and Chase Ray was forced to punt the ball away. Ray punted nine times in the game for an average of 26.4 yards.
Three plays later, Gregory connected with Hayes for a 59-yard touchdown and a 12-0 lead. An attempted pass for the two-point conversion failed. Hayes finished the game with two receptions for 81 yards and rushed only twice for another 75 yards, all coming in the first half.
Gregory’s quarterback draw resulted in a 45-yard touchdown at the 1:35 minute mark of the first quarter and Grimsley’s first of five PATs gave the Cats a 19-0 lead going into the second period.
Hayes, getting the opportunity to run the ball out of the backfield for the first time this season, scored four plays into the quarter on a run of 54 yards and Grimsley’s kick gave the Wildcats a 26-0 lead. On the ensuing kickoff, the ball was fumbled at the Latta 20-yard line and Johnny Allen scooped up the ball at the 19 and went untouched into the end zone, and Grimsley’s kick gave the Cats a 33-0 bulge.
Following Ray’s sixth punt of the half, the Wildcats again fumbled the ball away with 7:38 remaining in the first half, but the Viking offense could not capitalize on the second fumble turnover, forcing Ray to punt again after another three and out series.
With six minutes remaining, sophomore quarterback Austin Moody took over under center and handed off four consecutive times from the Latta 47 to Blue, who took the ball into the end zone from 12 yards out for his second touchdown of the game.
Drew Covington was called on to attempt his first PAT and was perfect through the goal posts for a 40-0 lead. Covington also added his first field goal of the season, hitting a 25-yarder with 1:27 remaining in the half.
Moody led a trio of reserve running backs on the first possession of the third quarter with Allen scooting 25 yards for his third rushing touchdown of the young season and Grimsley’s kick was again perfect.
The final score came with only 45 seconds gone in the fourth quarter with Moody keeping the ball on five of six plays and scoring on a ten-yard keeper.
The Wildcats piled up 430 yards in total offense, while the defense shut the Vikings down with negative six total yards. Latta’s R.J. McClam was held in check, netting 12 yards on ten carries.
The Wildcats will have a week off before hosting the Lake City Panthers on Friday, September 20, while the Vikings will regroup and travel to Aynor to take on the Blue Jackets this Friday at 7:30 p.m. The Class AA Blue Jackets are 3-0 heading into the game, while the Vikings are 1-2.
Photos by Johnnie Daniels/THE DILLON HERALD. Click the images below to view at full size!
