LaFayette crashes Notasulga’s homecoming party
BY SAMUEL JONES
FOR THE LAFAYETTE SUN
LAFAYETTE — After a couple of tough losses, the LaFayette High School Bulldogs needed a win Friday night at Notasulga High School’s homecoming.
The Bulldogs (2-4, 1-2) got it.
LaFayette pulled away from the Blue Devils (1-5, 0-4) in the second half to pick up a 30-12 region victory.
“It was very important,” LaFayette head coach Douglas Jones Jr. said. “The last couple of weeks, we’ve been shooting ourselves in the foot and not been able to execute, and tonight being able to, and the way our defense played tonight, I’m so proud of our defense, man. It really was something special to see.”
Zephi Madden led the defense with 12 total tackles and three tackles for loss, and Kemare Harrington added nine total tackles.
Jeremiah Whitlow finished the night with 188 rushing yards and a touchdown on 17 carries, and Demetrius Harrington completed nine passes for 82 yards and three TDs.
“He’s just been hungry,” Jones said of Whitlow. “He’s been telling us each week, ‘Coach, give me the ball. Give me the ball.’”
LaFayette opened the scoring with an eight-play drive that started at its own 30 yard line. The drive ended when Ty’Kaden Williams ran in a 1-yard TD to give the Bulldogs a 6-0 lead.
Notasulga answered in the second quarter with a strong rushing drive. The Blue Devils ran the ball, including 32- and 20-yard gains, before finding the end zone with 11:23 left in the first half to tie the game 6-6. Notasulga failed on the 2-point attempt.
LaFayette responded immediately.
On the Bulldogs’ first play of the following possession, Whitlow broke loose for a 65-yard TD run, putting LaFayette back in front 12-6.
The score remained 12-6 at halftime after both teams struggled to sustain drives. LaFayette had a chance to extend its lead late in the second quarter when Madden blocked a Notasulga punt and gave the Bulldogs possession inside the 10 yard line, but penalties and a muffed snap ended the scoring opportunity.
LaFayette came out of halftime and quickly took control.
A short Notasulga punt gave the Bulldogs possession at the Blue Devils’ 24 yard line, and LaFayette needed just three plays to capitalize. Madden caught a 15-yard TD pass from Demetrius Harrington to extend the lead to 18-6.
After another Notasulga three-and-out, LaFayette started its next drive at its own 20 yard line. Whitlow broke off a 44-yard run, and three plays later Kentavious Cobb caught a 31-yard TD pass from Demetrius Harrington to make it 24-6 with 4:24 remaining in the third quarter.
The Bulldogs’ defense continued to make plays, coming up with an interception on Notasulga’s next possession.
LaFayette turned the turnover into another TD before the end of the third quarter, with Jayden Thomason hauling in a 35-yard TD pass from Demetrius Harrington to give the Bulldogs a 30-6 advantage.
Notasulga continued to fight in the fourth quarter with a running clock. The Blue Devils broke loose for a 70-yard TD run to cut LaFayette’s lead to 30-12, but LaFayette’s defense held the rest of the way.
Jones said the Bulldogs can’t afford to spend much time celebrating with another important region game ahead.
“We don’t have time to celebrate,” Jones said. “We’ve got a big game next week. The playoffs are still in hope for us. We’ve only got two losses in the region, so we got to keep playing football and just do what we can.”
LaFayette will return home on Friday, Oct. 9, to face Winterboro High School (7-0, 4-0), the No. 3-ranked team in Class 1A, at 7 p.m. Winterboro most recently defeated Fayetteville High School (2-4, 2-1) 60-0 at home on Oct. 2.
