The Tallulah Academy Trojans improved to 2-1 on the season Friday night, defeating the Franklin Academy Cougars 52-14 and led by four rushing touchdowns from running back J.T. McDaniel.
The Trojans jumped out to a 6-0 lead late in the first quarter after McDaniel found the end zone for his first touchdown of the night on first and goal from the 1-yard line.
The Cougars answered the TA score with a long touchdown pass and added 2 more through the air to take an 8-6 lead.
But it would take McDaniel only three plays on the ground on the Trojans' next drive to add his second score of the night. Filling in for a shaken-up Hayes Hopkins, backup quarterback Luke Moberley found Cade Morgan through the air for the 2-point conversion and TA regained the lead, 14-8.
Franklin tied things up at 14-all after a short pass play for a touchdown on the first play of the second quarter, but the Trojans responded with a long drive, capped by a third rushing score for McDaniel and a 2-point conversion pass from Hopkins to Gage Palmer to give TA a 22-14 lead.
The Trojans extended its lead after Morgan recovered a fumbled Cougars' kick return on the ensuing play and TA capitalized on the turnover with a 15-yard touchdown run from Palmer.
TA added another take away on the Cougars' next drive, with Moberley picking off a pass in the end zone to send the Trojans into halftime leading 28-14.
Early in the third quarter, TA running back Brayson Morson became the third Trojans player to score on the ground, extending Tallulah's lead to 36-14 with the help of a rushing 2-point conversion from Hopkins.
Late in the third, McDaniel found the end zone for the fourth time and Morson added 2 on the ground to give TA a 44-14 lead.
The Trojans added a 6-yard touchdown pass from Hopkins to Palmer late in the final period and Elton Fortenberry punched the ball in on the ground for 2, giving TA the blowout win and a perfect 2-0 mark at home.
For the complete story from Friday's win, along with more stats and photos, pick up a copy of the Thurs., Aug. 31, edition of the Madison Journal.
