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Big offensive line leads Gator charge The Clarke Prep Gators all but locked up first place in the region as they branded the Longhorns of Marengo Academy 50-6 last Friday night in Linden. The Gators scored on six of their seven possessions in the contest. The Gators had the ball first and moved downfield behind the running of Heath Bradford and Josh Lear. On first down at the 14-yard line, wingback Christopher Etheridge took the ball on the reverse and scored. Lear ran in the 2-point conversion and CPS led 8-0. Following a Longhorn punt on the ensuing possession, it took only one play for the Gators to hit paydirt as Bradford raced 36-yards for the score. The try for two came up short as Clarke Prep extended its lead to 14-0. The pressure from the Gator defense remained tough and MA was forced to punt. After a penalty, CPS had the ball at their own 15-yard line. Bradford reeled off a 20-yard run, followed with a 64-yard sprint from Lear to put the ball at the MA 1-yard line. Lear finished the drive from there. The kick failed as the Gators took a 20-0 lead in the first quarter. In the second quarter Clarke Prep’s offensive juggernaut continued plowing through the Longhorns as Lear scored on a 15-yard run. Bradford added the 2-point conversion, increasing the lead to 28-0. Brendan Becton stepped in front a MA pass on the first play of the ensuing possession and CPS had the ball near midfield. By now the second team offense had taken the field for the Gators. J.D. Powell dialed in Matt Tucker for a 44-yard gain down to the 1-yard line. From there Wesley Morgan went in for the touchdown. Morgan also ran in the 2-point conversion to give the Gators a 36-0 stranglehold. Following another Marengo punt, the Clarke Prep offense started at midfield. Taylor Becton capped the one play drive with a 50-yard sprint. Becton also ran in the 2-point conversion to increase the lead to 44-0 as the first half came to an end. In the third quarter Clarke Prep scored their final points of the game as B. Becton hit Alan Baker with a 28-yard touchdown pass. The kick failed but the Gators had a 50-0 lead. Marengo finally found the endzone in the closing minutes of the game with a 17-yard touchdown pass. The kick failed and the game ended with the Gators winning the region contest 50-6. Lear led all rushers with 125 yards on 10 carries and two TDs. Bradford added 123 yards on nine carries and a TD. T. Becton had 53 yards on two carries and a score. The Gator defense held the Longhorns to just 26 yards on the ground and 122 yards in the air, with 81 of those coming in the second half. This Friday the Gators (7-0, 5-0) host the Eagles of Jackson Academy (2-4, 1-4). As if the fact it was a big county rivalry and then a region contest, add homecoming to the mix and makes for a huge match-up. The Eagles are coming off a 33-26 loss to Wilcox Academy. Game time in Grove Hill is 7:30 p.m.
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