BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Rayvon Durant rushed for almost 200 yards, while A.J. Cortese three five touchdown passes in an intra-squad scrimmage the Union County High School football team took part in on Aug. 12.
Union will play in a preseason kickoff classic at Baker County on Friday, Aug. 19, at 7:30 p.m. before hosting Columbia in the season opener on Friday, Aug. 26, at 7:30 p.m.
The scrimmage consisted of drives at various points on the field as well as a series of third-down plays to cap what was almost two hours of work.
Durant had a 27-yard run to convert a fourth-down play on the first series, which ended with Cortese throwing a 47-yard touchdown pass to Dee Williams.
Jamez Jamison and Erich Seager combined to sack Cortese on the first play of the second series, but the offense rebounded, getting 16- and 12-yard runs from Daylyn Diston and Durant, respectively, before Diston took a short pass and turned it into a 50-yard touchdown.
The third series resulted in a score as well. Durant and Bobo Woodall each had a run of approximately 20 yards before Williams caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Cortese.
After an explosive start by the offense, five straight series went the defense’s way, resulting in no scores. Anthony Holmes and Keegan Shuler made consecutive tackles for no gain on one series, while another featured Thomas Williams making a tackle for a loss of 3 yards and Seager recording a sack for a loss of 7 yards. Another drive saw Jimmy Cox making a tackle for a 4-yard loss.
The offense the scored on two straight series, with Cortese throwing a 39-yard pass to Johnte Nichols and Dee Williams scoring on a 24-yard run.
Brycen Boney came up big for the defense on a series that consisted of three plays and finished 2 yards behind the original line of scrimmage. He made one tackle for no gain and another for a 6-yard loss.
A 32-yard Cole Austin run helped set up a 2-yard touchdown run by Woodall as the Tigers’ offense scored on three straight series. Durant had a 38-yard touchdown run, while his 20-yard run helped another drive, which ended with Cortese throwing a 25-yard touchdown pass to Gavin Jenkins.
Cortese completed 11 of 17 passes for 229 yards. Dee Williams caught three passes for 74 yards and two touchdowns, while Diston caught three passes for 71 yards and one touchdown. Nichols finished with the one catch for a touchdown, while Jenkins caught two passes for 28 yards and a touchdown.
Quarterback Trenton Klein capped a late series by throwing a 12-yard touchdown pass to Clifton Ivey.
Two late series consisted of one play each, with Durant and Thomas Williams scoring touchdowns on 40-yard runs.
Ashton Newsom prevented one score when he intercepted a Cortese pass in the end zone.
The defense came up big on six straight third-down plays in which the offense gained a first down on only one. Three of those plays resulted in sacks.
Jonathan Edwards had the chance to kick field goals. He missed his first two attempts, but later made three straight from 32, 37 and 42 yards.
The scrimmage ended with four attempts by Edwards. He missed two times from 37 yards, while a bobbled snap prevented him from attempting another 37-yardder.
Edwards converted on a 22-yard attempt on the scrimmage’s last play.
