>> GMC PREP
Schley County quarterback Jay Kanazawa threw for 195 yards and four TDs, going to three different wide receivers, in a 51-0 win over GMC Prep on Friday.
Wildcats’ running back Malachi Banks also had a productive night. The senior totaled 114 yards on 16 rushing attempts with two scores against the Bulldogs’ defense.
Schley’s offense totaled 500 yards Friday night and the Wildcats spread the wealth around effectively. They had 10 players touch the ball and gain yardage in the blowout.
GMC Prep dealt with a few injuries across its roster, but that wasn’t the main problem. Instead, Schley County was just that more talented on both sides of the ball.
The Wildcats dominated from the jump, scoring 14 points in the first quarter. They also held a 30-0 advantage over the Bulldogs heading into the locker room at the half.
Schley scored on its first drive as its offense went 80 yards for the TD. Banks then scored on the 11th play from scrimmage from a few yards outs. However, the Wildcats weren’t done and would score again before the end of the first quarter. Kanazawa connected with Clinton Jackson, who caught his only TD reception of the night.
Defensively, Schley didn’t let GMC Prep gain a first down until the middle of the second quarter. Bulldogs’ punter Levi Ward was busy as the offense couldn’t get anything going. The Wildcats didn’t give quarterback Tyler Saunders time to throw.
Schley’s Carson Westbrook would pick off Saunders and return it for six at the sevenminute mark of the second quarter. The 65-yard INT returned for a TD shortly after the Wildcats blocked a punt and it rolled into the back of the end zone for a safety. They led GMC Prep 23-0 and kept rolling into halftime with a 30-0 lead.
Westbrook then had Schley’s next two scores as both of them were receiving TDs. They were also his only two receptions of the contest, totaling 65 yards. The Wildcats led 37-0 in the middle of the third quarter following his second TD reception.
Schley had such a big lead and already caused a lot of damage, but it wasn’t done yet.
The Wildcats scored twice more before the end of the third quarter. Kanazawa found Jalewis Solomon for a TD and Banks had his final score a few minutes later. That final TD from the talented senior running back capped off a dominant showing.
The Bulldogs’ season came to an end following the buzzer of the running clock in the fourth quarter. They went 4-7 overall and 3-2 in Region 5A-Division II play in 2022.
It was a frustrating result for GMC Prep, which went 10-1 and won the region title a season before.
A combination of injuries and other things plagued the Bulldogs this year.
However, there are some positive takeaways. While head coach Lee Coleman’s squad faced a lot of adversity, they persevered and made the playoffs for a third straight year.
The Bulldogs graduate Saunders, Ward and wide receiver Caleb Bush, among others. Nevertheless, GMC Prep will return Jonathan Williams, Jessie Washington, Jonathan Roach, Bryce Smith and Isaiah Womble, among others, next season in 2023.