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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

VINCENT – The Vincent Yellow Jackets made a statement on Friday night, Oct. 8, that this year is different.

Taking on Randolph County in a game they lost 56-38 last year in a similar situation, Vincent got redemption in the form of a dominant 51-6 victory this time around, setting the stage for a big final two weeks of region play that will determine their playoff fate.

“I’m proud of our guys for handling their business tonight,” head coach Lucas Weatherford said after the win. “We have two huge games coming up that will determine our playoff fate. I’m excited to see how our guys finish this season.”

If they get off to similar starts in their remaining games, it’s hard to see them not having a chance.

Against Randolph County, Jermarey Lawson made sure the Jackets got off to that strong start with two quick touchdown runs in the first quarter.

On the second play of the game, the running back went 56 yards to the house for a score, while Tray Youngblood added a 2-point conversion to make it 8-0.

After getting the ball back, on the second play of the second drive, Lawson took off again. This time, he went 39 yards to the end zone, while Youngblood added another 2-point run to make it 16-0 at the end of the opening quarter.

Randolph County, however, responded in the second quarter.

The Tigers controlled a large portion of the quarter and scored with a strong drive on a touchdown run to cut the deficit to 10 points.

They then recovered an onside kick and started driving right back down the field and got inside the Vincent 10-yard line.

But the Yellow Jackets stepped up defensively when Zack Wright forced a fumble to get the ball back and prevent Randolph County from getting within one score.

From there, it was all Vincent.

The Jackets went 96 yards in the final two minutes of the first half with quarterback Blake Allums completing passes of 12 yards to Griffin Martin and 12 yards to Tray Youngblood before finishing the drive off with a 27-yard touchdown pass to Zac Carlisle to make it 22-6 at the half.

Vincent then continued taking advantage of mistakes early in the second half.

The Tigers fumbled a punt deep in their own territory on their first drive of the half. Allums then hit Carlisle for the second time on the night for a 9-yard touchdown pass, before then hitting Lawson for the 2-point conversion and a 30-6 lead.

After getting the ball back, Vincent scored quickly on a 56-yard sweep to Youngblood to extend the lead, while the Jackets followed with another touchdown drive one possession later as well when Allums hit Griffin Martin from 37 yards out.

That put the Jackets up 43-6 at the end of the third quarter.

In the final quarter, Vincent added one more score when Quenterrius Robertson rumbled 66 yards to the end zone for a touchdown, leading to the final score.

Lawson finished with 11 carries for 139 yards and two touchdowns, while Allums was 6-of-8 for 120 yards and three touchdowns.