Tyner's football team was true to form Friday night at Bob Evans Stadium.
The Rams struck early and from long distance en route to a 46-12 win over visiting Bledsoe County to improve to 6-0 overall and 2-0 in Region 3-2A. The Warriors dropped to 2-3 and 0-2.
Javell Woodruff got the Ram Train rolling when he sprinted 73 yards to paydirt with 6:30 left in the first quarter. Three minutes later, Deonta Taylor scored from 28 yards out, then added the 2-point conversion to make it 16-0. Woodruff scored again about a minute into the second quarter, with another successful deuce making it 24-0.
On the first play of Tyner's next possession, Jarius Cameron rambled 75 yards for yet another score, making it 30-0 with nine minutes still left before halftime. Two minutes later, quarterback Joshua Jackson hit Zashun Hubbard from 4 yards out. Taylor added the 2-pointer, padding the Ram lead to 38-0.
"We came out again and jumped on them early, which is what we've been doing," said Tyner first-year coach Scott Chandler.
(READ MORE: Final scores and photos from Friday night's Chattanooga-area high school football games)
Bledsoe County did not quit, though. Freshman quarterback Jonathan Thomas, making his first start since senior Harmon Keith went down for the season last week, led his mates on a 10-play, 70-yard drive. That march culminated in Thomas' 7-yard scoring pass to Chance Boynton with 2:16 left before halftime.
Thomas made the most of his next opportunity as well, hitting four straight throws to move his club 65 yards. He covered the last 25 with a scoring pass to Avery Roberson with 17 seconds left in the half, cutting Tyner's lead to 38-12.
"I feel bad for Bledsoe County," Chandler said. "They're pretty beat up, [Keith] tore his ACL last week. They're not the Bledsoe County team they were at the first of the year, but we're fortunate to get this one."
There was but one score in the second half. It came with 7:38 left in the third period, when Tyner's Jackson found Jersey Chubb on fourth-and-goal from the 9.
In a scheduling quirk, the game was Tyner's last at home for the regular season. The Rams play each of their next three on the road, starting next week at Marion County.
"Just got to take those one at a time, get prepped, get ready for next week," Chandler said.
Tyner's Woodruff racked up 89 yards on just five carries, while Taylor ran for 59 yards on only five tries. Jackson completed seven of 13 throws for 157 yards and was intercepted once.
Thomas, the Warriors' freshman quarterback, completed nine of 14 throws for 124 yards and an interception. Gunner Sweat picked up 68 yards on nine carries, while Boynton caught four passes for 43 yards.
Contact Bob Gary at sports@timesfreepress.com.