LaFayette rallies, hands Wadley its first defeat

The Wadley Bulldogs got their toughest test of the season at LaFayette Friday and very nearly answered the bell with a win.

But LaFayette quarterback Jatarvious Whitlow connected with receiver JaMarquez Boston-Gaines on a 42-yard touchdown pass with 1:27 left in the game as LaFayette rallied from a 20-6 deficit for a 22-20 win.

“We were up 20-14,” said Wadley head coach Ken Fordham. “The quarterback – we really didn’t have a breakdown. He just made a play because it was a busted play. He threw it deep and the kid caught it and scored.”

Whitlow was a handful all night for Wadley, but the Bulldogs’ defense was up to the task of controlling his production for much of the game.

“We had him hemmed up all night. He was able to break a few tackles on a series or two and put us in a bind,” Fordham said. “He’s the real deal. He’s a good player. Everybody in their region is going to have a tough time if they can’t get him under control. He makes people around him better.”

Whitlow finished with 130 yards on 10-for-17 passing and led his team in rushing with 115 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.

Wadley got two short rushing touchdowns from quarterback Coby Nunn and a 20-yard score from Kamaury Avery as they built a 20-6 lead after three quarters.

But it was the points that the Bulldogs left on the field that had Fordham wondering what might have been.

“We had our chances,” Fordham said. “We had two drives that we should have punched in.”

Wadley moved inside the LaFayette 30-yard line following an interception of Whitlow, but they came away from that possession with no points.

Leading 20-14 in the fourth quarter Wadley drove to the LaFayette 2-yard line before being backed up by a penalty then losing the ball on a fumble.

“That would have put us up by two touchdowns,” Fordham said. “We didn’t finish it. We just did not finish it.”

Wadley got 261 yards on the ground as a team, but for the second straight week the Bulldogs did not complete a pass.

“We didn’t throw the ball very well. We’ve got to be more balanced. I’ve got to realize that, and hopefully I have,” Fordham said. “When they give us the run we’re going to run the football. But we’re going to have teams in the future that are going to stop the run, and we’re going to have to throw the football. That’s been a gigantic point of emphasis this week and will be throughout the rest of the year.”

The loss is the first of the season for the Bulldogs, who came into the game ranked no. 10 in the state in class 1A. It was the Bulldogs’ first state ranking since 2008 when they finished the regular season ranked fourth.

Avery finished with 108 yards on 18 carries, and Trevor Cameron added 69 yards on seven rushes.

Wadley is off this week before resuming region play next week against Donoho. The Bulldogs will have a measured pace to their practice schedule this week before getting back to their regular routine next week.

“We’re going to take a day or so off this week as well. We’ve got a few that need to get well,” Fordham said. “It’s not a lax week by any part, but I want them to have a little bit of time to have that freshness. Hopefully we can get back into it. Having this off week I think has hit at a real good time.”