Hampton had the knockout punch in a title fight.
The Bulldogs scored 24 unanswered points to take a 54-22 victory over Cloudland on Friday night at Orr Field. With the win, the Bulldogs claim the Region 1-A title outright and earn homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.
Connor McKinney went 6-of-8 passing for 238 yards and a touchdown to lead Hampton, with Brock Shelby recording four catches for 174 yards and two scores. Maddux Wilson had two catches, 64 yards, and a touchdown.
Peyton Townsend led a balanced Hampton rushing attack with 46 yards and a touchdown. McKinney added 42 yards and a score, while J.J. Cable added 41 yards and a touchdown. Isaiah Belcher also added a score and 30 yards rushing.
Cloudland saw two backs surpass 100 yards as Grayson Cole finished with 17 carries for 126 yards and a score, while Landon Barnette had two touchdowns and 102 yards rushing on 22 carries.
Bryce Birchfield had 62 rushing yards and 40 passing yards, with Walker Gouge adding 33 receiving yards.
Hampton struck first as Belcher capped the opening drive with a 16-yard touchdown with Townsend adding the two-point conversion.
Cloudland, however, countered with a short Cole touchdown run and two-point conversion.
The Bulldogs answered as McKinney found Shelby for a 59-yard score. After the Bulldogs’ defense recovered a Cloudland fumble, J.J. Cable added a Hampton touchdown as the Bulldogs took a 24-8 lead into the second quarter.
The ‘Landers trimmed into the lead with a Barnette touchdown from six yards out, but McKinney countered once again with a 14-yard score.
Cloudland cut the Hampton lead to eight in the final minute of the half as Barnette scored from nine yards out. Hampton, however, countered in the closing seconds of the half as Wilson caught a 40-yard pass from McKinney for a touchdown to give HHS a 36-22 lead at the half.
After a scoreless third quarter, Hampton secured the win with a touchdown run by Townsend and a McKinney 40-yard touchdown pass to Shelby.
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