Lafayette falls short at Pickens
Jaylon Ramsey torched the Dragons on a 73-yard TD run while the third of six Max Studdard extra points increased Lafayette’s lead to 21-6.
It would be the first of four touchdowns the teams combined for in the second quarter. The Dragons would answer with a 71-yard Streicher TD run shortly thereafter and they would score again on a 1-yard run by their signalcaller in the closing seconds of half. Pickens’ two touchdowns would be sandwiched around a 14-yard scoring run by Trey Taylor and the Ramblers took a 28-20 lead into intermission.
More offense would be in order in the third quarter.
Pickens took advantage of a Lafayette fumble to tie the game in the opening two minutes of the second half on an 18-yard run by Streicher, but Lafayette came right back on a 16-yard scoring scamper by Taylor to make it 35-28 midway through the period. The Dragons would answer on a 23-yard TD pass from Streicher to Jarod Whitmore to tie the game up once more. Ramsey would immediately put the Ramblers back in front on a 78-yard run, but Streicher, last year’s Player of the Year in the region, led his team on another drive and scored from 13 yards out with less than a minute to go, which tied the game at 42-42 headed into the fourth.
Lafayette regained the lead on a 38-yard field goal by Studdard with approximately 10 minutes to play, but once again Pickens would respond. Again it was Streicher, who found the endzone on a short run — his sixth rushing TD of the game — to give the Dragons a four-point lead with seven minutes to play.
The Ramblers would go on one final march looking to regain the lead and they thought they had taken the lead with less than five minutes to go. However, a penalty would negate a touchdown and Lafayette would come up empty on fourth down deep in Pickens territory. The Dragons would get the ball back and get to midfield before Streicher would convert on one final fourth down run to seal the win and a state playoff berth.
The Ramblers put up 641 yards of offense as Ramsey and Clements both eclipsed 200 yards on the ground. Ramsey nearly broke 300 yards rushing as he finished with 293 yards on 20 carries. Clements also carried 20 times for 250 yards even, while Taylor chipped in with 92 yards on eight tries.
Ramsey’s total, one of the most in school history, could be an all-time record.
Defensively, Brady Beard had seven solo tackles and 11 assists for the Ramblers. Darian Stevens had five solo stops and assisted on eight more, while Ben Maanum had six solo tackles, five assists and Lafayette’s only sack of the night.
Lafayette (3-6, 1-4) will close out the season this Friday night at Jack King Stadium against an improved Gilmer club.