High School Sports

SAKS — Wellborn scored on the game's first snap Thursday night but it was Saks, Saks and more Saks thereafter as the Wildcats opened the season with a 48-7 win. Ten backs combined for 285 yards rushing and senior quarterback Dakoda Wells passed for another 174 yards.

"We're going to have to spread the ball around," said Saks coach Clint Smith. "We're not one dimensional by any means. I felt like we did a pretty good job tonight of distributing the ball and getting some folks touches."

The night's first touch went to Wellborn's Delrickus Rhoden. Rhoden turned the corner at right end and sped untouched into the end zone 78 yards away. Brandon Hughes kicked the extra point and the Panthers led 7-0 21 seconds into the contest.

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"They came out and popped us on that first play. I think it woke us up," said Smith.

Saks needed only 58 seconds to answer. On the Wildcats' second snap Miles Wilson found a hole at right tackle and turned the play into a 57-yard scoring run. Jesus Garcia booted the first of his six extra points to knot the score.

By the time Wellborn's shorthanded team — the Panthers dressed only 20 players — produced another first down, less than two minutes remained in the first half and Saks led 34-7.

"We're just a very young football team. We've got no experience other than four or five people who played last year," noted Wellborn coach Ricky Weems. "That's not to take anything away from Saks. They've got a good ball club."

Saks took the lead for good on its second possession. Wells tossed back-to-back completions to Stephen Herring and Lee Dorsey for 19 and 15 yards, respectively. Dorsey scored on a 12-yard run with 7:33 left in the first quarter. With just more than a minute to go in the first, Dorsey scored on a 19-yard run — aided by a block on the corner from left tackle Andre Richardson. Garcia missed for the only time during the game and Saks led 20-7.

Dorsey added another touchdown five minutes into the second quarter. On a third-and-21 play from the Saks 35-yard line, Wells found Dorsey in traffic about 20 yards up-field. Dorsey snagged the pass, slipped away from a would-be tackler, and outran the rest of the Panthers to the end zone. With 1:36 left in the first half, Wells completed a 1-yard scoring pass to Andre Lee — capping a 67-yard, four-minute drive. A 38-yard pass play from Wells to Herring put the ball at the Wellborn 2.

In the third quarter, the Wildcats moved 79 yards on nine running plays to increase their lead to 41-7. Martez Caver fumbled at the 8 as he extended his arm for an extra yard but R.J. Sturkie nabbed the loose ball and carried it the final 7 yards.

Reserve Shed Long added the final Saks touchdown 33 seconds into the fourth quarter on an 11-yard run up the middle. The Wildcats had recovered a Wellborn fumble at the Wellborn 32 seven plays earlier.

A number of Panthers almost never left the field, playing on offense, defense and special teams. The lack of rest particularly showed in the second half when Wellborn failed to record a first down until less than three minutes remained in the game.

"We're getting better," said Weems. "We're going to continue to get better. The only thing that helps (inexperience) is playing time."

Wilson led Saks on the ground with eight carries for 91 yards. Dorsey had 51 yards rushing on five carries and caught three passes for 86 yards. Herring also had three receptions, good for 87 yards.

Rhoden finished with 90 yards rushing to lead Wellborn.

Saks entertains Central-Coosa in its region opener next Friday. Wellborn travels to Piedmont the same night to begin Region play.