After three years of bad luck, the Knights finally ended their losing streak to the Carver Panthers with a 41-6 blowout on Saturday afternoon.
“It was a rival game, seeing that a lot of the players had grown up together, played against each other and with each other, so it was a bragging-rights game,” said coach Earthwind Moreland.
The 5-1 and No. 7-ranked Knights came out the gates strong and never looked back as they pounded the Panthers on the ground and dominated them through the air.
Grady’s first scored on the second offensive snap of the game when senior running back Cincere Mason broke free from four Carver defenders for 67-yards, finishing with a celebration in the end zone. The Knights converted a 2-point conversion to take an 8-0 lead early.
After the defense forced a three-and-out, Mason returned a Carver punt 80-yards to the house. Mason has returned four punts for scores in three games. After a blocked extra point, the Knights led 14-0 with 2:06 left in the first quarter.
“It feels good,” said senior offensive lineman Jaelan Whitt. “All the work throughout the summer is paying off and this just shows that we are coming together as a team.”
The Knights defense contributed just as much as the offense. With the Panthers driving, the defense buckled down and forced a red zone turnover after junior Isaiah Martin picked off Carver quarterback Octavious Battle in the end zone for a touchback.
Grady took advantage of the mistake with a 10-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a 12-yard run by senior quarterback Caylin Newton to go up 21-0 with 6:05 left in the second quarter.
The rest of the quarter was slow as each team forced a punt, but after Carver’s second punt, the Knights offense revved up. Starting at their own 19-yard line with less than two minutes left in second quarter, the Knights capped a 5-play, 81 yard drive with a 9-yard pass to senior tight end Kemari Averett with 19 seconds left in the half to lead 28-0 at intermission.
After scoring however, Averett was ejected for his second unsportsmanlike conduct foul after flexing his biceps in the end zone in celebration.
Grady returned after halftime still hot, scoring on its first drive with a 5-yard run by Newton for his second rushing touchdown of the night to the lead to 35-0 with 5:37 left in the third quarter.
With 4:41 in the third period, senior cornerback DiMarcus Clay picked off Battle, but the Knights didn’t capitalize on the turnover.
Carver finally scored with a 61-yard touchdown pass with 7:46 left in the game. Grady improved to 3-0 in Region 6-AAAAA and is in good position to win the region championship for the sixth time in school history.
“It put us in a good position to win the region championship being that both teams were 4-1 going into the game,” said Moreland.
This was also the first time the Knights beat Carver in Moreland’s tenure as head coach.
“It was a little more motivation and incentive for us,” said Moreland.
The Knights have a bye week this week but will play North Springs 4-2 on Oct. 14t at North Springs.
