Leake Rebs roll past NCA, 48-22

By By Robbie Robertson / special to The Star
Aug. 28, 2004
DECATUR In the words of first-year Newton County Academy coach Dennis McCann, the Generals were "out-sized, out-manned and out-coached."
Led by junior Jason Gooden's 164 yards and three touchdowns, Leake Academy scored early and often in an easy 48-22 victory over Newton County Academy Friday night.
NCA falls to 1-1 on the season and will travel to Kemper Academy next week for the MPSA Division 5-A opener for both teams. Leake improves to 2-0 and takes on division rival Manchester next week.
After scoring a school-record 64 points last week and rushing for 500 yards, the Generals found themselves on the opposite side of the scoreboard this week. The Rebels ran roughshod over the Generals, rushing for 366 total yards and 23 first downs en route to 448 yards of total offense.
The Rebels dominated the first quarter of play, scoring on all three possessions as Gooden scored on runs of 5, 27 and 5 yards as Leake led 22-0 with 1:14 left in the first.
There was 3:50 left in the first half before the Generals got a first down. Soon after that, Colby Bishop hit Lee Blackburn on a 64-yard touchdown pass with 2:32 left to play in the half. Bishop hit Brad Harrison on a two-point conversion to make the score 22-8.
Leake squashed any thoughts of a comeback by coverting a two-play, 47-yard drive with Justin Sturdivant scoring on a 34-yard scamper to make the score 28-8 at the half.
Things didn't get any better for the Generals in the third as the Rebels scored on their first two possessions and intercepted an NCA pass to lead 48-8 at the end of the third quarter.
The game got sloppy in the fourth as the Generals recovered five Leake fumbles and tacked on two scores. The first was a Bishop 6-yard pass to Daniel Clanton with 10:45 left to play. The second was a Blackburn 5-yard run with 1:44 left to play.
On the game, the Generals managed 253 yards of total offense. Bishop led the way with 187 yards passing on 11-of-16 passing. Blackburn's 31 yards rushing led the Generals.
After Gooden's 164 yards, quarterback Cory Burns had 104 yards rushing and 82 yards passing for Leake. Sturdivant added 62 yards rushing.