Atlanta hosted White Oak for its first district game of the year last Friday night.
White Oak took a 67-0 torching last year against the Rabbs but looked much improved in this contest.
The Rabbs celebrated Homecoming and then went to work as Atlanta won the slugfest 71-40.
First Quarter
Atlanta won the toss and deferred to the second half.
White Oak came out blazing as they scored on its first drive of the game in just four plays.
The Roughnecks went 81 yards and the drive ended with a 61-yard pass play for a score.
White Oak hit the point after and went up 7-0 with 10:57 left in the first quarter.
Atlanta answered on its first drive as the Rabbs drove 70 yards in a little over two minutes.
Markeylin Batton picked up 19 yards on the drive including a 13-yard TD run, Batton also had 16 yards receiving, Jayden Riley ran for nine yards and CJ Whaley hauled in a 16-yard pass from Rabbit quarterback Peyton Harrison.
CJ Whaley added the PAT and the game was tied at 7-7 with 8:34 left in the first frame.
White Oak scored again on its next drive at the 6:37 mark and after the PAT the Roughnecks were up 14-7.
Atlanta came out swinging on its next drive as Batton picked up a short two before scoring on a 63yard gallop for a TD.
The PAT was good and the game was tied 14-all with 5:44 left on the clock.
Atlanta received a gift on the next Roughneck drive as Sye Stroman snagged the ball for an interception in White Oak territory.
After a short run by Jamarion Austin, Harrison hits Riley for a 44-yard TD at the 4:30 mark.
Whaley hit the point after and the Rabbs were up 21-14.
The Roughnecks’ next drive ended with White Oak in punt formation after a solid stand by the Atlanta defense, but the ball hit an Atlanta player on the kick and extended the drive.
A fumble and a few penalties against the Roughnecks eventually set up a third-and-goal at the Rabbit 2-yard line.
The Roughnecks scored at the 12 second mark but missed the PAT to set the score at 21-20.
On the ensuing kickoff, Stroman received solid blocking and tightrope walked into the endzone for a TD.
The PAT was no good but Atlanta extended its lead to 27-20 as time expired on the first quarter.
Second Quarter
White Oak started out its next drive at the 25 and promptly moved the ball across midfield five plays.
The Roughnecks scored on the 10th play of the drive but missed the PAT.
With that score Atlanta was up just 27-26 with 9:19 left in the second quarter.
White Oak received another gift as the ball careened off a Rabbit player and the ’Necks recovered the ball at the Rabbit 34.
Not to be outdone, the Rabbit defense intercepted a pass on the next play as Harrison reeled in the catch.
The Rabbs started out its next drive at the 19-yard line and immediately picked up 11 yards on the ground by Batton.
Harrison connected with Braylin Rowe on a nice over the shoulder grab for 37 yards, and then hit DC Range on a nice 33-yard touchdown pass play.
Whaley hit the PAT and the Rabbs extended its lead to 34-26 with 8:36 left in the first half.
White Oak moved the ball into Atlanta territory on its next set of plays but a big sack on third down by Landon Johnson put the Roughnecks in punt formation.
A solid punt pinned the Rabbs at the 9-yard line and the next drive began with a run for no gain.
Harrison hit Whaley on a nice 26-yard pass but a penalty against the Rabbs negated the play and set the ball at the 5-yard line.
From there Riley picked up 25 yards on the wildcat play for a first down.
Harrison hit Range for eight yards, Batton picked up a yard and Riley picked up five of his own to give Atlanta a first down at the 43.
Harrison picked up nine of his own and took the ball into Roughneck country before Austin picked up a short gain of two yards.
Working from the 46, Batton hits the corner and rumbles into the endzone for another TD.
Riley runs in the 2-point play and the Rabbs went up 42-26 with 2:21 left in the second stanza.
Stroman continued his dominance on defense on White Oak’s next drive as he picked off another pass with the Roughnecks advancing into Rabbit country.
With under 50 seconds left in the first half, the Rabbs ran one play and added to its lead.
Harrison took the snap and hit Batton in stride on a long 88-yard TD pass.
The nimble QB ran in the 2-point play and the Rabbs were up 50-26 with 34 seconds left in the second quarter. The first half ended with White Oak running the ball.
Third Quarter
Atlanta received the ball to open the second half and went to work.
Austin picked up nine yards on the ground to open the drive and Harrison connected with Riley for 11 yards on the second play.
Harrison hit Austin for a 10-yard pickup before Harrison ran for a TD. A penalty against Atlanta negated the score unfortunately.
Austin scored on a long TD run two plays later but another penalty against Atlanta negated the score.
Harrison hit Riley on a long 37-yard pass play for a first down and hit Whaley for a 17-yard score at the 8:11 mark.
The PAT was good and Atlanta ballooned its lead to 57-26.
The teams traded possessions for a few drives before the end of the quarter.
Fourth Quarter
Atlanta ended the third quarter with a converted fourth down by Riley and two plays into the new quarter, Batton bolted 67 yards to the house.
The PAT was good and Atlanta was up with a commanding 64-26 lead with 11:06 left in the game.
White Oak scored in garbage time on a 56-yard pass and closed the gap to 64-33 after the PAT at the 9:06 mark.
Eli Mitchell came in to play QB for the Rabbs on its next drive and Marshawn Woodberry came in to take a majority of the handoffs.
Mitchell picked up eight yards on the ground, Riley gained two and Woodberry picked up 55 including a 42-yard TD jaunt with 3:58 on the clock.
The PAT was good and Atlanta was up 71-33. White Oak scored again in garbage time at the 2:36 mark and after the PAT the Rabbs were up 71-40.
Solid running by Austin and Woodberry set the Rabbs up to run out the clock and seal the 31-point victory.
Harrison finished the night 12-of-17 passing for 324 yards and four touchdowns.
Batton earned 208 yards rushing on 11 carries with four TD’s, Woodberry added 66 yards on the ground with a score, Riley had 45 and Austin 38.
Batton also had 104 receiving yards with a TD, Riley had 90 with a TD, Range had 41 with a score, Whaley had 34 with a score and Rowe added 37.
Stroman added a TD of his own on a nice kickoff return.
As a team the Rabbs turned in 378 yards on the ground and 324 through the air for 702 all-purpose yards.
On the defensive side of the ball, Landon Johnson had 16 tackles with 13 of those solo and a sack, Kaigen Lloyd added five tackles, Kam Williams had five, Kayden Linwood four, Dailen Collins four, Stroman four, Eli Mitchell four, Riley four and Caleb Francisco four.
Stroman had two picks and two deflections, Harrison added a pick, Linwood had two defections, Riley had one and TJ Rainey had one.
Atlanta (4-1, 1-0) has scored 60 or more points in its past two games and will travel to play rival Jefferson (5-0, 1-0) in the Battle of Highway 59 this Friday night, Oct. 4, with kickoff set for 7 p.m.
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