by Nick Johnston, Special to The Herald
4 months ago | 399 views | 0

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Sand Rock running back Justin Kyser slips past a Westbrook Christian tackler Thursday night. Photo courtesy of The Gadsden Times.
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RAINBOW CITY — A junior quarterback stole the spotlight on senior night Thursday at Jack Osborn Memorial Stadium on the campus of Westbrook Christian School.
The Warriors’ Jacob Mayfield rolled up a total of 294 yards and accounted for five touchdowns to lead the Warriors past the Sand Rock Wildcats 34-7 in a Class 2A, Region 6 contest.
Mayfield completed 12-of-16 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns with an interception and added 111 yards on the ground with three more scores.
Mayfield helped deny Sand Rock head coach Russell Jacoway the 200th win of his career. Jacoway’s Wildcats (5-4, 3-4) gained just 147 yards of total offense and managed to cross midfield only twice.
With the win, Westbrook improves to 8-1 on the season with its only loss coming to Ider. The Warriors likely will be the No. 2 team in the region behind Ider and will host at least the first round of the Class 2A playoffs in two weeks. In between, Westbrook must travel to Lineville next week to wrap up the regular season.
Sand Rock ends the regular season next Friday at home against Spring Garden.
Thursday’s game was the seventh-consecutive win for the Warriors since the 21-14 loss to the Hornets and never was in doubt.
Westbrook scored touchdowns on its first four possessions. Mayfield ran in for a 5-yard score on the Warriors’ first possession and helped give his team a 14-0 lead with a 5-yard scoring toss to Steven Daniels on the second possession.
On the first play of Sand Rock’s ensuing drive, Will Catanzaro intercepted a Drew Norris pass and set up the Warriors on the Wildcats’ 32-yard line. Eight plays later, Mayfield dove in from the 1-yard line to give Westbrook a three touchdown lead. Then, just before halftime, Mayfield hit Jake King — who caught three passes for 65 yards — for an 11-yard touchdown to give the Warriors a 28-0 lead at the break. Westbrook’s Zack Swagart set up the touchdown with an interception. Swagart also was Mayfield’s favorite target on offense, hauling in five catches for 99 yards.
Sand Rock finally put points on the board on its first possession of the second half. Norris and running back Justin Kyser helped get the Wildcats downfield on a 13-play drive that culminated with Kyser plunging into in the end zone on a three yard run with 2:24 remaining in the third. Kyser led the Sand Rock rushing attack with 13 carries for 62 yards while the Westbrook defense limited Norris to just 5-of-18 passing for 57 yards and two picks.
Two possessions after Sand Rock’s score, Mayfield scored the Warriors’ final touchdown of the night on a 15-yard run with 5:19 remaining in the contest. Catanzaro added the extra point — his fourth of the night — to make what would be the final score.