Cameron Rodriguez Passes for Five Touchdowns in Garrison’s Rout of Hemphill [VIDEO]
GARRISON — Cameron Rodriguez passed for 340 yards and five touchdowns as the Garrison Bulldogs rolled to a 47-21 victory over Hemphill in the season opener Friday night.
Rodriguez — a junior — was on target, completing 12-of-14 passes. He was perfect on his first eight attempts, the last completion in the streak coming on a 21-yard touchdown strike to Chris Feaster that put the Bulldogs up 27-13.
Justin Twine had a huge night for Hemphill. The junior rushed for 194 yards and three scores on 25 carries. He had 70 yards through the air.
After both teams suffered through early-season jitters for much of the opening quarter, Twine gave Hemphill a 7-0 lead with 14 seconds left in the quarter.
A 6-yard run by Hunter Key early in the second quarter helped the Bulldogs knot the score at 7. Garrison needed just two plays to score on its next drive, going 65 yards with a 26-yard run by Paul Stokes followed by a 39-yard scoring pass from Rodriguez to Key to make it 14-7.
With Garrison trying to increase its lead late in the first half, Hemphill forced a fumble that was recovered by Roy Joe Harris at the Garrison 15-yard-line. Twine took it in for the score on the first play, but a blocked extra-point by Khiran Arrington helped Garrison take a 14-13 lead into the locker room.
The Bulldogs wasted no time adding to their advantage in the second half. Rodriguez hit Logan Clark from 39 yards out less than two minutes into the second-half action to make it 21-13. Not long after came Rodriguez’ touchdown pass to Feaster, which came on a third-and-goal at the Hemphill 21-yard-line. Less than two minutes later, Garrison had a fourth-down attempt at the 30-yard-line with a touchdown pass from Rodriguez to Key to make it 34-13. The Bulldogs set up that score with a recovered fumble by Taylor Williams.
Garrison added two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter, the final on a 99-yard run by Clark in the game’s final minute after Garrison stopped Hemphill from trying to score on fourth down.
Clark rushed for 159 yards on 11 carries. He also had two touchdown receptions.
Twine had a 67-yard touchdown run for Hemphill in the fourth quarter, but it was too late for a comeback attempt.
Garrison had 485 total yards, while Hemphill finished with 371 yards.