BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Zack Paulk threw touchdowns to three different receivers, while running backs Gino Addison and Iyen Addison made the most of their touches, averaging more than 12 yards and scoring one touchdown each as the Bradford High School football team rolled up 408 yards in defeating Class 5A Leon 43-7 in Tallahassee on Oct. 18.
The Tornadoes (7-1) built a 36-0 first-half lead, with the defense scoring points on a fumble recovery and a safety and not allowing a score until the fourth quarter.
“To get back on the winning track was a good thing,” said Head Coach Jamie Rodgers, whose team was coming off a 21-7 loss to District 5-2A opponent Newberry. Rodgers added, “No injuries, played well and got a dub. All in all, it was a good night.”
Bradford, which travels to play district opponent Santa Fe (1-7) on Friday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m., wasted little time in making it a good night, receiving the opening kickoff and driving 75 yards for a touchdown. It was the first of four touchdowns in the first quarter.
Gino Addison carried the ball on all six plays of the first scoring drive. His first two touches went for 20 and 38 yards. Addison, who rushed for 142 yards on 11 carries for an average of 13 yards per attempt, then had runs of 7 and 9 yards to move the Tornadoes to the Leon 1-yard line. The Lions (0-8) held him to no gain on his fifth carry, but he got the call again and bulled into the end zone at the 10:09 mark of the quarter. A fake on the extra-point attempt led to kicker/quarterback Cy Cubbedge completing a pass to Marlin Haywood for a successful two-point conversion, putting Bradford up 8-0.
Leon fumbled on the ensuing kickoff, with Trevis Johnson recovering for the Tornadoes at the Lions’ 15-yard line. Iyen Addison had a 13-yard run to set up first-and-goal before Bradford fumbled the ball away, with Leon recovering at its own 2-yard line.
The Lions ran just one play before committing another turnover. Bradford’s Brian Cliffin forced a fumble on a quarterback keeper, with Ne-O Addison falling on the loose ball in the end zone for a score and a 14-0 Tornadoes lead with 9:28 to play in the first quarter. The extra-point kick was blocked.
The Tornadoes forced Leon to go three-and-out on its next offensive series, which began with Jeremiah Hill sacking the quarterback for 7-yard loss. Bradford’s Trente Jenkins blocked the Lions’ punt attempt, with Jeremiah McKenzie recovering the loose ball at the Leon 17.
An 11-yard pass from Paulk to Mikey Oliver set up Paulk’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Jy’Quez Cason. Cubbedge added the PAT for a 21-0 lead at the 6:59 mark of the first quarter.
Leon’s next series again started with a negative play, with McKenzie making a tackle for a 2-yard loss on a jet-sweep attempt. It was another three-and-out affair for the Lions, who got off a successful punt, which had Bradford starting a series at its own 26.
Iyen Addison had a 12-yard carry in between two incomplete passes. Gino Addison then had consecutive carries for 5 and 17 yards before Branden Williams caught a pass from Paulk over the middle of the field and turned it into a 40-yard touchdown. Leon blocked another extra-point kick, but the Tornadoes had a 27-0 lead with 4:14 still to play in the opening quarter.
Williams caught three passes in all for 51 yards.
The Lions found success on their next drive. A run play of 14 yards and pass plays of 14 and 11 yards gave Leon first downs on three consecutive plays as the Lions crossed midfield to the Bradford 40. Leon later converted on a fourth-and-1 play and then benefitted from a personal-foul penalty, which gave the Lions a first down at the 15-yard line. Bradford’s Duke Lewis then made a tackle for no gain, while teammate Jamarion Foye dropped a ball carrier for a 1-yard loss on second down. A third-down pass play gained just 4 yards. On the second play of the second
quarter, Leon attempted a 29-yard field goal, which was no good.
Bradford drove inside the Leon 40 on the following series, but eventually punted for the only time that night. The result was that the Lions were pinned at their own 2-yard line. Leon’s first play following the punt saw McKenzie tackling the running back in the end zone for a safety, making it a 29-0 game with 4:58 remaining until halftime.
The Tornadoes’ offense began a drive at the 50-yard line following the free kick that was awarded because of the safety. Cubbedge and Paulk both took snaps at quarterback on the series, with Cubbedge completing a 9-yard pass that set up a third-and-1 play. Paulk gained 22 yards on a keeper to the Leon 19. Paulk carried the ball again for a 4-yard gain before he threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Oliver with 2:52 left in the second quarter. Cubbedge kicked the extra point for a 36-0 lead.
Paulk finished 5 of 9 for 145 yards, while Oliver had two catches for 26 yards.
Leon caught the Tornadoes off guard on a fake-punt attempt on the first series of the second half, gaining 40 yards on a run to the Bradford 11. On the resulting first-down play, the Tornadoes’ Barron Walden mad a tackle for a loss of 5 yards. Williams then made an interception in the end zone to end the scoring threat.
Bradford’s first drive of the half began with a 39-yard pass play from Paulk to Cason, who finished with three receptions for 59 yards. Iyen Addison then got the call, taking a handoff 41 yards for a touchdown. Cubbedge added the PAT to make the score 43-0.
Iyen Addison averaged 16 yards per attempt, finishing with 85 yards on five carries.
The second half went quickly with a running clock, though Leon did get on the scoreboard with a 12-play, 76-yard touchdown drive.
“I’m not real excited that we just let them go down on the field and score on us,” Rodgers said. “That’s not typical of what’s happened over the last couple of years, so we’ve got to get better with that.”
Bradford’s defense gave up 171 yards and made seven tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
The Tornadoes next take on another struggling opponent. Santa Fe earned its first win on Oct. 11, defeating Keystone Heights 30-7, but then lost 54-3 to Zarephath Academy on Oct. 18. The Raiders, who have been shut out four times, are losing games by an average score of 38-5.
