After second region title win, first round of Class AAAA playoffs see Bulldogs overwhelm Hornets

The opening round of the playoffs proved that the Bulldogs have arrived on the scene and are ready to face anyone coming their way after they grabbed a big win over the visiting Hampton Hornets in Class AAAA play on Friday night.

Cedartown saw Patrick Gardner, Harlem Diamond, CJ Washington, and others all get a chance to get into the end zone against a Hornets squad who couldn’t stop the Bulldogs and were shutout for the entire first half of play in the dominant 55-14 win on November 12 to open the playoffs for 2021.

Gardner grabbed a score, Washington put up a touchdown, along with Isiah Johnson and Jaquaveon Price in this one that got out of control from the first time that Khamarion Davis touched the ball on the opening kickoff and returned it for a 40-yard score, and a touchdown just a couple minutes off the clock later for Diamond.

Speaking of Diamond, he made it the fifth game in a row that he put up a three-touchdown performance (all of those on Friday scored in the first half of the game.) Diamond since returning from an injury sustained during the Heard County game has rushed for

However, it was Cornell Medellin who probably made the biggest statement throughout the entirety of the contest. A Hampton drive in their own territory turned into a pick-six for Medellin who went in for 39 yards and a defensive score to put Cedartown up 42-0 before halftime.

After halftime, the Bulldogs brought in second-team and younger players and put up a pair of touchdowns and went without the extra point to make it a symbolic 55 on the scoreboard. Hampton was able to add two touchdowns of their own to get on the scoreboard after they gave up 42 unanswered points in the first half.

Cedartown put up 607 yards on offense on the night – 100 of that from Gardner, and another 119 from Diamond on the ground – during the win, and played both Reece Tanner and Drew Ledbetter under center.

The Bulldogs will be facing the Cairo Syrupmakers during the next round in another home game for the Sweet 16 in the playoffs.

Check back for a preview coming up midweek for the playoff game.