PREP FOOTBALL: Warriors cap off season with 69-20 win at Curry

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West Point running back Kelton Washington (5) posted 188 yards and five touchdowns in the Warriors’ 69-20 win at Curry Thursday night. (Nick Griffin/The Cullman Tribune)

JASPER, Ala. – The West Point Warriors made the trip to Curry High School Thursday night to take on the Yellow Jackets in their season finale and they put on a dominant performance. West Point had its way with Curry on its home field and capped off the 2021 season with a 69-20 win over the Yellow Jackets. Kelton Washington put on a stellar rushing performance in the victory, racking up 188 yards and five touchdowns on just 14 carries.

After a big return by Suyeta DrowningBear on the game’s opening kickoff that put the Warriors deep in Curry territory, Washington punched in his first touchdown of the night from 8 yards out to give West Point an early, 7-0 lead. After a Yellow Jackets punt, The Warriors drove back down the field and Washington’s second touchdown of the game made it 14-0 with 7:41 to play in the opening quarter. West Point continued to move the ball on the ground and Washington continued finishing drives in the end zone. His third score of the night made it a 21-0 game with just over four minutes to play in the first and the Warriors went into the second quarter leading by three touchdowns.

It was Brian Cornelius’ turn in the backfield on the next West Point possession and after tearing off a 30-yard run to get into the redzone, he finished things with a 15-yard scoring run to stretch the lead to 27-0 early in the second. The Yellow Jackets responded right away with a 70-yard kick return for a touchdown that trimmed the lead to 27-6 but the Warriors got those points back quickly. Hunter Hensley capped off the next West Point scoring drive with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Cade Simmons that made it 34-6 with just over four minutes to play in the first half. The Warriors blocked the next punt attempt from Curry and took over on the 1-yard line with less than a minute remaining in the second quarter. Washington punched it in from a yard out to tack on his fourth touchdown of the night and West Point went into the locker room at halftime leading 41-6. The Warriors outgained the Yellow Jackets 212 – 44 in the first half.

A Curry touchdown pass cut the lead to 41-12 early in the third quarter but West Point answered when Washington got loose for a 68-yard touchdown run midway through the period to add a fifth touchdown to his performance and put the Warriors in front 48-12. Just a few snaps later, DrowningBear picked off a Yellow Jackets pass and returned it 22 yards for a touchdown, making it a 55-12 game. Noah Laney got in on the scoring next, punching one into the end zone from 5 yards out to extend the lead to 62-12 going into the fourth quarter.

Curry was able to score again midway through the fourth to cut into the lead, but Hensley finished another West Point scoring drive with a 1-yard dive into the end zone and the Warriors pulled away to win it over the Yellow Jackets 69-20.

Washington led the way for West Point with 188 yards and five touchdowns in the win. Laney added 76 yards and a touchdown on six carries, Cornelius finished with 45 yards and a score on two carries and Hensley posted a touchdown on the ground and through the air. Simmons finished with 51 yards and a touchdown on three catches and Garit Roberson tacked on 51 rushing yards on two carries.

The Warriors finish the season 6-4 and will look to build on this win as they head into the offseason.

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