Marsh-led Panthers romp

LaFAYETTE, Ga. — For critics who believe the Ridgeland offense was missing a few pieces during the first few weeks of the football season, Friday night’s 41-14 Region 7-AAA win over LaFayette should further shelve such talk.

The Panthers (5-1, 2-0 ) displayed all their stars in whipping their Walker County rivals, putting together 413 yards of total offense and getting big plays from a variety of players. Leading the way was wingback Deonte Marsh, who had 187 yards in only nine carries, including touchdown runs of 77 and 15 yards to go along with a 70-yard fumble return for a score.

“We’ve got athletes that can make plays, and we feel we can distribute the ball around and get some big plays from different people,” Ridgeland coach Mark Mariakis said. “We needed it because LaFayette came out and punched us in the mouth and we didn’t respond very well. Our kids didn’t panic, though, and they settled into the ballgame. The offense really clicked all night.”

The Panthers scored on all three of their first-half possessions but could not take control of the game as the Ramblers, behind the running of electric tailback Devarus Porter, matched them early on.

Following a 50-yard drive capped by Paul Walton’s 12-yard run to give Ridgeland a 7-0 lead, LaFayette (3-3, 1-1) came right back with an 83-yard, six-play drive ending on Porter’s 51-yard streak around right end. Moments later, on Ridgeland’s first play, Marsh broke off right tackle and raced 77 yards for his first touchdown.

The Ramblers, behind Porter and fullback Koran Dyer, marched right back into Ridgeland territory, but Porter was stripped of the ball after a short reception, and the cat-quick Marsh scooped up the ball and raced for a 21-7 lead.

LaFayette responded with another quick drive, going 66 yards on five plays, Dyer scoring from 18 yards out. Ridgeland, though, answered right back in back-breaking fashion. Facing third-and-17 from the LaFayette 41, Zach Clayton took a pitch, pulled back and heaved the ball downfield into the arms of a streaking Devin Bowman for the score and a 28-14 halftime lead.

“We talked about the play and Coach was saying, ‘Devin, I don’t think I’m going to call it,’ but I kept begging,” Bowman recalled. “Zach almost overthrew me, but I was able to get it. We all did something tonight, and that gives teams something to prepare for.”

The game was still in the balance in the third quarter with LaFayette driving to get within a touchdown. However, after getting a first-and-goal at the Ridgeland 10, an incomplete pass and two runs netted 5 yards. On fourth down, Dyer bulled up the middle, but Ridgeland’s Daniel Johnson brought him down at the 1.

Six plays later, including a 33-yard Marsh run and a LaFayette personal-foul penalty, the Panthers sealed the game on Sharik Smith’s 37-yard scoring run.

Walton added 74 yards rushing and Smith 71 to go with Marsh’s 187, while Porter had 165 on 21 carries to lead LaFayette, which had 366 total yards. Quarterback Josh Morgan had 97 yards on 10 completions, leaving him six from breaking the area northwest Georgia all-time passing yardage record.