Benedictine football honored its upperclassmen on Senior Night with a dominant 49-6 Region 1-5A win over Groves at Memorial Stadium Thursday, October 29, immediately pivoting focus to a massive regular season finale against Ware County that will decide the Region 1-5A champion. The Cadets, now 8-1 overall and 6-0 in region play, showed absolutely no mercy, dropping five touchdowns in the first quarter alone and piling on seven by halftime, leading to a running clock in the second half.
Cadets Roll Groves, Starters Get an Early Exit
From the opening whistle, Benedictine left no doubt, tearing into a Groves squad that only dressed about 20 players. Omari Burse wasted no time connecting with Ca’Ron Hall for a 21-yard scoring pass on the first drive. After forcing a three-and-out, senior Eron Mallard, who’s heading to Purdue, sprinted for an 18-yard touchdown run around the right end. Virginia Tech coach James Franklin was in the house to watch senior Stanley Smart Jr., and Smart Jr. delivered, scoring his first of two rushing touchdowns from five yards out. Sophomore Demari Perry then blew up the field with a 38-yard punt return for a score, and Mallard wasn’t to be outdone, taking the very next Groves punt 62 yards to the house! With the game already in hand, head coach Danny Britt pulled his starters midway through the second quarter, giving reserves some valuable game experience. That’s how you manage a blowout and keep everyone fresh for what’s next.
Stewart Dunn’s Return to the End Zone Sparks Even More Fire
One of the night’s biggest highlights, beyond the sheer offensive explosion, was the return and impact of junior Stewart Dunn. After being sidelined with an injury before the season started, Dunn returned to the field last week against Wayne County, and Thursday night he absolutely shined. He showed off his speed, rushing for 65 yards on just three carries. The best part? He capped his night midway through the second quarter with a 27-yard touchdown jaunt, his first of the season and the third of his varsity career. You know that felt good! Dunn summed it up perfectly, saying, “It felt great to be back out on the field with my guys, it’s a brotherhood at Benedictine. And it felt really good to get in the end zone. I’m ready to play anywhere the team needs me and help us anyway I can.” That’s the kind of team-first attitude you love to see, especially from a talent like Dunn.
Now, with the Senior Night festivities over and Groves in the rearview mirror, it’s all about Waycross. The Cadets are headed to the “Swamp” next week for a showdown with Ware County (6-2, 5-0) that will crown the Region 1-5A champion. Coach Britt, in his 16th season, didn’t mince words: “It’s going to be a war , Ware County has a very good team and it’s always very tough to play down there. It’s a heck of an atmosphere and the whole state will be watching.” He knows it’s going to be a battle. “They have been on a run and we always have battles with them. But we have been on a run too. We feel good, but we’re just going to have to understand that come Monday , we’re going to have to be at another level for the rest of the week.” Get ready, because the stakes are as high as they get for this regular season finale.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply