By By Robbie Robertson / special to The Star
Sept. 18, 2004
DECATUR After scoring a school-record 64 points in the season opener, Newton County Academy got its offense back on track Friday night.
The Generals rolled up 320 yards of total offense and smothered CM&I of Jackson in taking a 54-6 victory.
With the win, the Generals improve to 4-1 on the season and face Heidelberg Academy next week. CM&I falls to 0-4.
The Generals dominated the Crusaders on both sides of the football. On offense, the Generals had 304 yards rushing on 33 carries, a 9.2-yard per carry average. The Generals, who had 13 first downs, were led by senior Lee Blackburn who had 140 yards on 12 carries and scored three touchdowns on runs of 4, 23, and 24 yards.
On defense, the Generals held the Crusaders to 17 total yards and three first downs. The Crusaders were held to minus 15 yards rushing in the game and lost three fumbles. Ben Thames, Brad Harrison and Rocky Godwin were credited with recoveries.
The contest was never really in question as the Generals led 20-0 at the end of the first quarter and 41-0 at the half.
In the first, the Generals ran just 10 plays in scoring those 20 points. The first was a 4-yard run by Blackburn with 8:28 left in the first. The second came on a two-play drive as Blackburn scored on a 23-yard jaunt with 5:29 left in the quarter. The third came on a Dustin McGowin 22-yard scamper with 3:23 left in the first.
In the second, Brad Harrison made it 28-0 as he bulled in from 7 yards out. McGowin, who rushed for 48 yards on five carries and scored twice, scampered in from 6 yards out with 8:58 left in the half for a 35-0 lead.
Blackburn scored his third touchdown of the half with 13 seconds left to play on a 24-yard run as the Generals led 41-0 at the half.
Bo Diveley scored on a 7-yard run in the third to cap off a six-play drive the Generals longest of the night and Colby Bishop's PAT gave NCA a 48-0 lead.
After CM&I scored on a 21-yard pass play, the Generals finished the scoring with a Bishop 39-yard scamper with 4:59 left to play.
Bishop was the Generals' second-leading rusher with 52 yards on six carries while Harrison had 51 yards on nine carries.