Staff Reports
GADSDEN – Class 2A, No. 10 Sand Rock posted its third straight road win Friday night with a 55-13 Region 6 football victory at Gaston.
Trace Haygood and Tru Graham both ran for 73 yards for the Wildcats (3-0, 2-0 Region 6). Haygood scored two touchdowns on seven carries while Graham added a score on three totes. Quarterback Ace Ashley completed all five of his pass attempts for 68 yards and a touchdown.
Jacob Cornejo got the Wildcats on the scoreboard 55 seconds into the game on a 9-yard touchdown run. Bryan East’s extra point gave Sand Rock a 7-0 lead.
Haygood accounted for the next two Wildcat scores on runs of 28 and 29 yards, providing Sand Rock a 21-0 advantage. Graham closed out the first-quarter scoring on his 29-yard punt return for a touchdown, pushing the Wildcat lead to 28-0.
Ashley connected with Olin Pruitt for a 2-yard touchdown with 7:55 remaining in the first half. Everett DeBoard returned another Bulldog punt 44 yards for a touchdown, giving Sand Rock a commanding 42-0 edge.
Gaston (0-4, 0-2) finally got on the scoreboard on Zachary Thacker’s 13-yard touchdown run with 1:10 remaining in the first half. Leiland Hollen connected on the point after, making the score 42-7 Sand Rock at halftime.
Graham ran 67 yards for a touchdown for the only touchdown of the third quarter, giving the Wildcats a 49-7 advantage.
Gaston’s Ethan Herren connected on a 25-yard touchdown pass to Brock Bagley early in the fourth quarter. Sand Rock’s Gatlin Cox scored the game’s last touchdown on a 2-yard run with 3:28 remaining for the final.
Sand Rock hosts its first home game of the season Friday night against Southeastern. Gaston travels to West End.
