The Gray Collegiate War Eagles scored 55 first half points en route to a 62-7 win over the Airport Eagles in a Region 4-4A rivalry game Friday, October 10.
Gray quarterback Xavier Wright completed 7-of-8 passes for 146 yards and three touchdowns. He showed off his arm in the first play of the game connecting with Royce Williamson for a 53-yard touchdown. Weston Mims added the extra point as the War Eagles led 7-0 with 11:42 left in the first quarter.
Gray also rushed for 174 yards and four touchdowns on 19 carries. Trevon Williamson added 81 yards and three touchdowns on ten carries. On the War Eagles’ second possession, he covered all 41 yards on three carries, including a 33-yard sprint to the end zone. Mims made a second extra point and Gray’s lead grew to 14-0 with 8:37 left in the quarter.
The War Eagles went back to the air on their third drive, which began at the Airport 34. Wright connected with Trevon Williamson for 17 yards. Then he threw a quick pass to Royce Williamson, who broke a couple Airport tackles on his way to the end zone. Mims knocked through his third extra point as Gray went ahead 21-0 with 6:48 left in the first quarter.
The War Eagles were far from done. After Royce Williamson came up with the first of his two interceptions, Wright found C.J. Gleaton in the middle of the field, who outran the Eagles’ defenders for a 27-yard touchdown. Mims tacked on another extra point to give Gray a 28-0 lead.
The War Eagles put together one final scoring drive in the first quarter beginning at the Airport 20. Gray went back to the ground as Trevon Williamson got two carries for 20 yards, including a 6-yard touchdown run. Mims hit the extra point, and the War Eagles led 35-0 at the end of the first quarter.
“It was very important,” Gray head coach DeAngelo Bryant said of the 35-point first quarter. “That was a point of emphasis all week. We have to be able to start games and control our destiny, be able to control those games. Tonight was a prime example of us being able to get out in front and being able to control some things and do some things. Most importantly, we executed in all phases of the game. I was proud to see the guys come out and do that.”
Gray’s longest scoring drive of the night took place in the second quarter. Starting at the War Eagles’ 42, Wright quickly got Gray into Airport territory with a 14-yard run. Then he found Hiszari Gantt for 13 more yards. Later in the drive, the War Eagles returned to the ground game as Trevon Williamson got the ball four times. He ran for 20 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown run as Gray extended its lead to 41-0 with 8:18 left in the quarter.
When the War Eagles got the ball back at their own 36, they turned to Nate Dixon. He broke off a 50-yard run to the Airport 14. He capped off the drive with two runs, including a 4-yard touchdown run. Mims made his fifth extra point of the night to put Gray ahead 48-0 with 4:06 left before halftime.
The War Eagles added a 47-yard interception return for a touchdown by Gleaton and a 17-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Waller to Kaleb Berry.
Airport got on the board near the end of the game with a 29-yard touchdown pass from Nolan O’Hora to Ameire Lynch.
Gray improves to 7-0 overall and 4-0 in the region. The War Eagles host South Aiken Friday, October 17.
“Right now, we are in the driver’s seat and that’s the important thing,” Bryant said. “At the same time we have to understand we have other challenges ahead, whether it’s challenges with ourselves or whether its challenges with other teams. The last bottom half of this region that we will see, a lot of those teams are still fighting. They have something to fight for. We expect to see their best. At this point we are everybody’s Super Bowl. We can’t allow those things to happen. We have to come out firing on all cylinders.”
Airport falls to 0-7 overall and 0-4 in the region. The Eagles travel to North Augusta on October 17.
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