Wide-ranging rushing attack helps West Laurens sweep away Long County

LUDOWICI – Conventional wisdom would suggest that West Laurens – whose smashmouth ground attack has monopolized the clock in five consecutive games – would be in for yet another of those low-scoring and short-lived affairs as it met up with perhaps the likest-minded opponent so far in 2026 on Friday’s trip to take on Long County, whose T-formation based offense was averaging just a touchdown more per game with the same grinding mentality. 

As it turned out, 3+3 and two clouds of dust would instead produce a miniature shootout, and a season-high in scoring for the Raiders as they increased their cumulative point total by almost half in a 48-26 win, and pulled to an even 4-4. 

West Laurens (3-1 region 3-AAAA) will go back on the road to challenge co-leader Liberty County next week. 

“We’re proud of the win. It’s a good region win on the road, and a formidable opponent,” said West Laurens head coach Kip Burdette. “They play everybody close, and they run the ball on everybody, and it’s just a hard team to prepare for. I’ve known Coach (Mike) Pfiester for a while. He does a good job. Got a lot of respect for him and his program.” 

There were pleasant surprises on both sides: For Long County, the game’s two biggest plays on runs of 69 and 82 by Markyl Allen, for a couple of his four touchdowns that matched the total on a record-breaking night three weeks earlier at Harlem. 

West’s unlikely X-factor was the speed of quarterback Duggan Malone, who ran for just more than double the yardage (44) he had in seven previous games combined, and the first two rushing scores of his career. 

“I’ve been asking the coaches to let me run it,” he said. “They finally let me do it, and I got two rushing touchdowns.” 

He was the tip of the iceberg on what was easily the Raiders’ most productive and balanced night on the ground all season. 

They rushed for 361 as a team, with Malone, Jace Williams and J.D. Hogan also contributing to the efforts of usual suspects Justin Blash, who led the backfield with 14 carries for 104, and Kaden Bloodsaw, who chipped in 17 attempts for 93, in carrying the load behind a determined O-line.

“It felt easy out there,” said senior tackle Christian Rozier. “We prepared during the week, and just did what we had to do and came out with the dub.” 

“It was just filling our assignments, doing what we’re coached to do,” said junior guard Hudson Lee. 

Malone was also 7-of-8 passing for 80, with Williams as his leading target on three receptions for 16 yards. Hogan’s 26-yard catch went along with a pair of rushes to give the junior 59 yards from scrimmage. Jeremy Brownlee added a 27-yarder, and Ezekiel Floyd one of 11.

All of the above were matchups Burdette said “we needed to take advantage of.” 

“He (Malone) made some good decisions,” he said. “I’m glad that we could have the run and the pass going tonight.” 

Long County, in a continuation of some season-long trends, had comparable success running the ball, for 327 of its 369 total yards, but struggled just as much slowing down the run on the defensive side.

The Blue Tide, playing their first home game of the season on an unusual schedule that was built around the timeline of some offseason stadium renovations, went back-and-forth with West Laurens all night.

It would’ve stayed neck-and-neck on the scoreboard if not for a couple key swings at the beginning and end of the first half that allowed the Raiders to set the pace, and lead wire-to-wire. 

A first came at the opening kickoff, which Blash returned 75 yards for the game’s first touchdown. It was the most noticeable of numerous special teams plays that made an impact.

Long County had trouble fielding two kickoffs, and West Laurens blocked an extra point.

“They say football’s a three-legged stool, and you’ve gotta win two out of three to win the game,” Burdette said. “I felt like we won three out of three tonight.” 

The other was a lone turnover, as J.D. Hogan lowered the boom on receiver Charlie Johnson several steps after his catch over the middle for what would’ve been a first down to produce a fumble that Kingston O’Neal snatched up for a return inside the Long County 5. 

“It felt pretty good finally getting to hit somebody like that,” Hogan said. “It’s been a minute.” 

Williams cashed it in for a second of two more offensive touchdowns that would make up a 21-13 Raider lead at halftime. 

A rising tide on offense…

In all, West Laurens failed to score just once on its seven offensive possessions, punting on the very first drive before scoring on six in a row to comfortably pull away. 

But Long County refused to go away at any point before Bloodsaw’s 15-yard touchdown run, following its turnover on downs, stretched the Raiders’ lead to three scores for the first time. 

“Our guys played well,” Burdette said. “We gave up a couple of things, but I think we made some good adjustments, and played well in the second half and put a whole game together. We haven’t really been a second-half team this year, so it’s nice to come out in the second half and score some points, get some good stops and finish this thing off.” 

Each of the three Blue Tide touchdowns after the first, which came close to tying the game on the end of a 96-yard drive, would cut their lead down to either eight or nine. 

That early march, following punts on both teams’ first offensive turns, took the game well into the second quarter as Allen scampered free of some broken tackles and into the end zone from five yards. 

But West Laurens held out a two-point conversion run at the 1 to retain the lead, and covered 60 yards in response to go up eight on a 27-yard Malone keeper (and PAT), as the junior quarterback kept to an unoccupied right side off a read. 

Williams scored from the same concept following the change of possession, and the lead grew to 15. But Long County punched right back with its own 60-yard drive, mixing runs and passes by quarterback Zane Vaughn, to also score on a six-yard Allen run. 

A celebration foul enforced on the try scrapped Long County’s plans to go for two, but Jhon Rioja’s extended extra point was good to keep the Raider lead to a single score. 

West Laurens took it back to the end zone from 71 yards on its first possession of quarter 3, with Blash taking the ball home from less than a yard out. 

Allen’s longest breakaways, which used a burst of speed following a handful of failed tackles near the line of scrimmage, bookended the eight-yard Malone keeper that opened the fourth quarter. 

Devin Watkins was the Raiders’ leader in tackles with 17.5 total. Hogan added 8.5, forced a fumble and broke up a pass. Jamari Blash and Stephen Odom had seven tackles and a break-up each.