The Walton Raiders erupted for four touchdowns in the second quarter and that turned out to be the difference in a 49-27 season-opening win over the Grayson Rams on Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The game was the final of the Kell-Hunter Classic, which consisted of 13 mostly-lopsided games spread across five venues. Eleven of the games were decided by at least three scores and another by two scores.
The Raiders (1-0) entered the season ranked No. 5 in Class 7A after going 10-3 last year and reaching the quarterfinals, where they lost to Carrollton.
“We’ve got 18 seniors starting and I think we have a lot of hurt from last year from the Carrollton game,” said senior quarterback Jeremy Hecklinski, a Wake Forest commit who finished Saturday 16 of 24 passing for 289 yards and four touchdowns to one interception. “I think we put it all into the offseason and into winning a state championship. I rely a lot on my defense, to be honest. We have a great defense and I’m proud of those guys for coming out tonight and holding them all the way into the fourth quarter, and then we have some rotational guys.
“It was a great game.”
Walton led 7-0 after the first quarter after a 2-yard reception by Ashton Woods from Hecklinski, and that was part of a 35-0 run that took off in the second quarter. Hecklinski connected with Jordan Bride on a 27-yard touchdown pass with 9:52 left in the half. Ninety seconds later, Hecklinski found Hunter Teal for a 3-yard passing score. With 2:26 left in the half, Makari Bodiford ran 1 yard in to make it 28-0 nothing.
The dagger came with 0:48 before halftime, when Hayden Halpaus recovered a fumbled and returned it 21 yards for a touchdown.
Raiders coach Daniel Brunner said the team accomplished a lot of its goals for the game, perhaps most was getting a defensive turnover in the red zone. The Raiders’ opening drive resulted in lost fumble, giving the Rams the ball on the 25. The Rams would advance the ball 15 yards before the Raiders recovered a fumble of their own.
“I think that was a huge turning point for us,” Brunner said. “Because if they end up scoring right there and getting some momentum going, this could have been a different ball game.”
Hecklinski spread the ball around well, with six receivers collecting at least 30 yards, led by 67 on four catches from Wyatt Sonderman. Hunter Teal, Cameran Lloyd, Bride and Woods all caught a touchdown.
Jake Thorner led the Raiders defense with 10 tackles and a sack, and Wendell Gregory and Nolan Fahrner had 1.5 sacks. Tyson McCrary, Justin Krueger, Sonderman and Halpaus all recovered fumbles.
The Rams (0-1) entered the game No. 9 in 7A and under new coach Santavious Bryant, the program’s third coach in six years. They were led by quarterback JD Davis, who was 17-for-29 passing for 203 yards and three touchdowns.
Walton 7 28 7 7 - 49
Grayson 0 7 6 14 - 27
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