SAFFORD — For one half, Safford went toe-to-toe with powerhouse Blue Ridge. But the Yellow Jackets’ ground game wore the Bulldogs down after halftime, leading to a 30-14 final Friday night in Safford.
Blue Ridge struck first late in the opening quarter when senior running back Breckan Sarchet burst free for a 60-yard touchdown. A two-point conversion made it 8-0. The Jackets extended the lead to 14-0 early in the second quarter on a short TD run.
Safford didn’t back down. Quarterback Jevyn Elliot found Dane Jacobson for a 31-yard touchdown at the 7:14 mark to cut the deficit to 14-7. Then, on the final play of the half, Elliot uncorked a desperation heave that Parker Whisman hauled in for a stunning 33-yard touchdown. With the extra point, the Bulldogs tied the game 14-14 heading into the locker room.
The momentum, however, didn’t last. In the third quarter, Tank Hamblin powered in from nine yards out to put Blue Ridge back on top, 22-14, after a successful two-point try. Less than two minutes later, Hamblin struck again with a 14-yard score, pushing the lead to 30-14. That would stand as the final, as the Jackets’ defense clamped down the rest of the way.
Blue Ridge finished with a bruising 410 yards rushing, led by Sarchet’s 186 yards and two touchdowns and Hamblin’s 94 yards and two scores. Senior Carter McGowen added another 89 yards on the ground. Defensively, Blue Ridge piled up five sacks and an interception to keep Safford from mounting a second-half comeback.
The Bulldogs (0-2) will look to regroup when they host Seton Catholic (1-1) on September 5.
