By Becky Taylor

becky.taylor@gaflnews.com

CHULA — An extra bye week may have been just what Tiftarea Academy needed. After struggling to find offense in their last two non-district games, the Panthers roared out of the gate Friday and blasted past Deerfield-Windsor, 49-27.

The Panthers, now 6-1, are scheduled to go to Brookwood School next week. The Warriors are still looking for their first win this season.

Deerfield-Windsor, who entered the night with just one loss, fell in a deep hole early, with the Panthers getting three touchdowns in the first 12 minutes.

J.R. Walker capped a quick drive midway through the opening period with a four-yard run between the tackles. John Jackson had helped set up the score with a 44-yard catch to the 5. Harrison Powell’s kick was true and TA led 7-0.

The Knights bet wrong on an attempted fourth down conversion on the ensuing drive, with a toss sweep losing two yards. Tiftarea didn’t wait long. Walker found Jackson Parrish for a 42-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage.

Parrish caught the ball at the 25 and broke a tackle at the 10 to find paydirt. Powell hit another XP try to double the lead to 14-0.

Near the end of the quarter, Walker had two long runs and Jackson got 13 more on a pass to reach the 2. Walker went in from there and Powell kicked them to a 21-0 advantage.

Tiftarea’s lead peaked at 28 points in the second. Caden Grier got the 65-yard drive started with a cut inside for a 27-yard run. At the 39, Walker fed Temond Marcus on a screen pass. Marcus deftly avoided a referee in his path and kept running for a 39-yard score to make it 28-0.

Deerfield-Windsor got on the scoreboard with a touchdown pass later in the period, but trailed 28-7 at intermission.

Jackson caught a 40-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter, the only scoring by either side in the frame. In the fourth, the Walker-Jackson connection came through again on a 24-yard touchdown pass to go ahead 42-14.

The Knights got one more touchdown to halve the lead to 42-14, but the Panthers were not done.

Kentorial Wimberly led the offense down the field and capped scoring with a 6-yard touchdown jaunt.

Walker completed 9 of 16 throws for 233 yards and four touchdowns. Jackson had six of those catches for two TDs and 143 yards. Parrish had two grabs for 50 yards and score, Marcus, one, for 40 and a touchdown.

Rushing-wise, Walker led with 106 yards on 21 attempts, two landing him in the end zone. Grier added 90 yards on a neat 9.0 yards per carry.

Marcus and Charlie Taylor each had a sack. Ridley Monk landed an interception for the Panthers.

The victory opened District 3-3A play for Tiftarea after last week’s game with Valwood was postponed because of Hurricane Helene. That contest is now listed as Nov. 1 on MaxPreps. It will be played at the Panther Pit.

Valwood also looked sharp in its return Friday, blitzing past Terrell Academy, 42-6. Valwood will be at Deerfield-Windsor next.