Rabbs swat Hornets, 28-21

Atlanta won its game against Hooks last Friday night, 28-21.

After an hour delay due to lightning and another during the contest, the game finally wrapped up on Saturday at 12:20 in the morning; five hours after it was supposed to begin.

First Quarter

When the game finally did get underway, Hooks started their first drive with the ball situated at the 10-yard line.

A couple of big runs put the Hornets at its own 35, but two plays later a high snap cost them 10 yards and put Hooks into punt formation with 9:10 left in the first quarter.

The punt careened off the side of the punter’s foot and only went eight yards.

Atlanta took over at the Hornet 33 and went to work.

Markeylin Batton took the first handoff seven yards before Rabbit quarterback Peyton Harrison tucked the ball and picked up 19 yards of his own.

Working from the 7-yard line on first-and-goal, Batton took the handoff, cut at the five and bolted into the endzone.

C.J. Whaley nailed the point after and the Rabbs were up 7-0 with 7:54 left in the first frame.

Hooks’ next drive never made it past the 47 as nice defensive pass plays by Sye Stroman and freshman baller T.J. Rainey forced the Hornets into turning the ball over on fourth down.

Neither team capitalized on its next possession, but the Rabbs’ third possession of the contest ended with a 51-yard touchdown.

It only took one play for Batton to take the rock, follow his blockers and set the sideline on fire despite the rainfall.

After three flags on the PAT, two of those on Hooks, the Rabbs opted to go for two.

Jayden Riley crossed the goal line with the ball from the wildcat position and the Rabbs were up 15-0 with 34 seconds left in the opening quarter.

Second Quarter

The second stanza opened with Hooks moving the ball.

Hooks moved from its own 46 to the Rabbit 11 in just seven plays.

Facing third-and-short, Hooks never got a play off as play was delayed due to lightning.

After the delay, Hooks scored but the Atlanta defense didn’t make it easy.

The PAT was good but the Rabbs were still ahead 15-7 with 8:04 left in the first half.

Harrison started Atlanta’s next drive with an 11yard pass to Braylyn Rowe, and two plays later picked up a first down with a nice 11-yard gallop.

The drive stalled, however, and the Rabbs were forced to punt the ball away with 4:21 left in the second quarter.

Hooks’ next drive was riddled with penalties and solid defensive plays by Kam Wiliams forced the Hornets to punt with 1:15 left on the clock.

Time ran out on the first half with the Rabbs running the ball.

Third Quarter

Atlanta received the ball to begin the second half and started out the new quarter with a bang.

Harrison connected with Riley on a 62-yard pass play at the 11-minute mark and after the PAT, Atlanta was up 21-7.

Hooks’ next drive was slow moving as Rainey, Dailen Collins, Zamarian Ivery and Stroman made things difficult on the defensive side of the ball.

On the sixth play of the drive, Hooks fumbled the ball and the Rabbs scooped it up and returned it to the 2-yard line.

From there Harrison took the ball into the endzone on the QB keeper and after the PAT the Rabbs were up 28-7.

If you were present at the game or listening to it via KALT then you know this contest had more flags than the Fourth of July celebration.

Three penalties against the Rabbits helped push the Hornets down the field on its next drive and Hooks scored at the 5:42 mark on an 18-yard run.

The PAT was good and the Hornets were down just 28-14.

Atlanta’s next drive was also filled with penalties coming from the referees, but nonetheless the Rabbs took the ball from its own 27 to the Hooks 24 in 10 plays.

Of those plays, Jamarion Austin came in at running back and picked up 21 yards on the drive, Harrison hit Riley for 16 yards and connected with Range for 26.

The successful drive ended with an interception in the endzone and Hooks took over at its own 20.

The quarter ended with Hooks moving the rock.

Fourth Quarter

Hooks’ drive ended with a turnover on downs at the 10:17 mark but a fumble by the Rabbits gave the Hornets new life at midfield for its next set of downs.

Hooks scored again at the 7:22 mark and after the PAT was down just 28-21.

Atlanta’s plan was to milk the clock from there and they did a good job of it as Batton had back-to-back runs of 22 yards and 10 yards, Harrison hit Riley for eight yards, Austin picked up 10 yards on the ground, and Harrison connected with Range for 10 yards.

Unfortunately, the Rabbs ended up punting the ball away and Hooks was chomping at the bits to tie the game.

Fortunately, Stroman came up big for the Rabbit defense once again as he picked off a pass by the Hooks QB on the first play of the drive, and from there Atlanta was able to run the time out.

This Friday night, Sept. 13, the Rabbs will host New Boston with kickoff set for 7 p.m.