Etowah falls to Mortimer Jordan in second round

Mortimer Jordan posted a 44-30 victory over Etowah in the second round of the Class 5A state playoffs last Friday (Nov. 11) in Kimberly.
The Blue Devils (9-3) led 3-0 after one quarter courtesy of Raul Hernandez’s 27-yard field goal.
After the hosts went up 8-3 on Brown’s 8-yard touchdown run and two-point conversion, Etowah regained the lead on Daulton Hyatt’s 9-yard touchdown run. But Mortimer Jordan (10-2) went into halftime ahead 16-10 by way of Douglas Moore’s 10-yard TD pass to Trey Peters.
Moore’s 13-yard scoring run early in the second half made it 22-10, but the visitors responded with Hyatt’s 13-yard touchdown run and Hernandez’s PAT to draw within five points.
Brown scored from two yards out to extend the Mortimer Jordan lead to 30-17 before Caleb Horton’s 75-yard touchdown catch narrowed the gap to six points.
That was as close as the Blue Devils would get, as Brown’s third touchdown on the night and Preston Wilson’s 45-yard fumble return for a touchdown provided the hosts with a 42-24 advantage midway through the fourth quarter.
Brown rushed for 240 yards on 35 carries.
Hyatt completed 14 of 25 passes for 237 yards, while Emil Smith had seven receptions for 95 yards. Thomas rushed 12 times for 149 yards, while Horton added 77 yards on 12 attempts. Thomas and Horton also caught three passes each.
Defensively for Etowah, Malik Wilson finished with 16 tackles, two fumble recoveries and an interception.
Robert Romine had 14 tackles, followed by Carter Dingler and Brailen Ball with nine each, Lovell Cylar with eight and Tahj Taylor with seven. Dingler and Cylar each recovered a fumble.