Ridgeland, LaFayette look sharp in prep football scrimmages
The LaFayette Ramblers unveiled their new ball-control, clockchewing, run-based offense in Fort Oglethorpe last Tuesday night and the initial reviews were encouraging.
LaFayette rushed 45 times for 333 yards, found the end zone four times and held the ball for 27:40 as they outscored host LFO, 29-10, in a pre-season scrimmage against the Warriors.
A total of 11 different players gained positive ground yardage for LaFayette. Sophomore Colton Lane was the first-half workhorse as he bulled his way to 114 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries.
Senior KaDarrin Ramsey had 41 yards and a score on seven first-half carries, while junior Dakota Cathey picked up 55 yards and a touchdown on just two runs in the second half, which saw the starters sit. LaFayette attempted just two passes, one of which was intercepted, and the offense finished the night by picking up 16 first downs. They also lost one fumble and were penalized seven times for 50 yards.
The Rambler defense gave up 152 yards on 29 carries, 103 of those yards coming in the first half against the LFO starters. They recovered two fumbles on the evening and scored a safety, while limiting the Warriors to just 18 yards passing and eight first downs.
“We saw a lot of mistakes, but it’s early,” LaFayette head coach Chad Fisher said afterward. “The biggest thing going into tonight was just trying to play physical and flying around as we getting ready to play on Opening Night.”
LaFayette won the coin toss and immediately went on an impressive opening drive. They overcame 15 yards in penalties to march 80 yards in eight plays, all on the ground, in 3:52. Lane went for 19 on the first play from scrimmage and Landon Ray- burn added a 27-yard scamper before Ramsey polished it off with a zigzagging 15-yard scoring run.
Freshman kicker Max Studdard connected on the first of his two extra points to give LaFayette the lead.
Three plays into LFO’s first possession, a high snap — one of several such miscues during the game — was recovered by LaFayette lineman T.J. Dixon at the LFO 17. One play later, Lane broke a tackle and raced down the sideline for six more points as Studdard tacked on the placement.
After an exchange of punts, LFO finally got their offense going as they drove from their own 13-yard line to the LaFayette 8 in a dozen plays, keyed by a 23yard scramble by quarterback Noah Flowers. But another high snap on third down would force the Warriors to settle for a 25-yard Jake Reid field goal.
LaFayette’s ensuing
possession ended inside the LFO red zone as Ruddy Ware stepped in front of a Logan Teasley pass. However, a half-the-distance penalty and another high snap resulted in Flowers being brought down in the end zone by Grayson Blaschke for a safety to increase the Ramblers’ lead to 16-3 with 4:47 left in the half.
But the Ramblers weren’t able to capitalize following the free kick. A fumble gave the ball back to the Warriors near midfield and on the very next play from scrimmage, Flowers shook off a pair of would-be tacklers and raced 53 yards for what would be the lone TD of the night for the home squad.
With the second teamers and younger players getting plenty of reps in the second half, the Ramblers were able to tack on two more scores.
A 42-yard run on third-and-11 by Cathey kept a third-quarter drive going and the junior finished off the nine-play, 78-yard drive with a 13-yard TD run. Then, after defensive lineman Jared White recovered an LFO fumble midway through the fourth quarter, freshman Ethan Kennedy ran for six yards before an eight-yard scoring run. Another freshman, Spencer Dennison, booted the extra point.
“For the most part I was pleased with how we played,” Fisher added. “I thought we executed well, minus those turnovers and a few dumb penalties. I thought we did a lot of good things, but we still have a bunch of stuff to clean up.”
Flowers led the Warriors with 85 yards on eight rushes.
LaFayette will now start preparations for their season opener at Armuchee on Friday.