Jackets sprint through first round
The Rockmart Yellow Jackets are moving on to the second round of the playoffs following a 42-0 victory at home against Heard County to open Class AA play.
The Jackets (9-2, 5-1 Region 7-AA) put up 272 yards of offense on the night against the Braves (7-4, 4-2 Region 5-AA) in their opening homestand of the postseason on Nov. 11, as Rockmart’s cast of backs and receivers put together a highlight reel and the defense came up with big stops and turnovers throughout the game.
Rockmart came out to a slow start but got rolling midway
through the first quarter after giving up a first possession on a punt and a turnover on downs on their second. Markus Smith pushed for a 4 yard gain to cap off a short drive for a opening score to put the Jackets up by a touchdown with 5:34 left in the quarter.
“The first six minutes of the game are important in the first round of the playoffs, because you’re going to have nerves and you’re going to have butterflies,” said head coach Biff Parson. “Once we got going, we started playing Rockmart football. I’m really proud of these guys, they’ve worked their butt off all year, and now we get to play another round.”
Rockmart football turned up the heat on both sides of the ball in the second quarter as Heard County was held to just 53 yards in the first half following big stops by the defense.
What set the tone of the game were a pair of big plays in the second quarter to extend Rockmart’s lead.
Morgan Sims came up with two magic catches in the second quarter, grabbing a 41-yard pass from Dylan Bailey to go up 14-0 with 10 minutes left before halftime, then grabbing bobble in the end zone to get control just at the line to put the Jackets up 21-0 with 4:18 left on the clock.
“We’ve worked on that all year, and that’s just what we do,” Parson said. “We’re calling the plays and guys are making them, so we’re happy to have the kids who can do that.”
Several more crowd- pleasing plays gave Rockmart command of the second half as well, as the Jackets forced a fumble on Heard County’s first possession in the third quarter which resulted in a Dlante McClain 5-yard touchdown.
Rockmart came up with the ball again not long after when they were forced to punt on long yardage and the ball was unintentionally touched by the Braves’ Tray Dunson on the back of his leg. The Jackets came up with the ball at the Heard County 1-yard line and gave Smith the job of punching it in for the touchdown.
McClain got one more score on the night with a 1- yard run following a 47-yard gain on the previous play to set up the touchdown.
Rockmart finished off the game with a running clock and the ball after getting a final turnover on a stripped ball.
The Jackets will play this Friday on the road as they take on Region 1-AA champion Fitzgerald, which beat Dublin in a 42-7 firstround game at home and moved to 10-1 on the season, with the Purple Hurricanes’ only loss coming to Tift County on Sept. 30.