PIEDMONT — The Powdersville Patriots were able to bring their overall record back to .500 on Sept. 18 with a 35-7 win over visiting Liberty on the legs of Jakobe Bufford who rushed for three TDs to shut down the Red Devils.

Coming off an appearance in the 2014 playoffs, expectations were high at the beginning of the season for the Patriots to expand on their success, brought on in just four years of program history, but early mistakes had Powdersville sitting in with a losing record.

Liberty (1-3) was looking to close out the first third of the 2015 campaign with a win to get back to even on the year but the Patriots’ offense proved to be too much.

Bufford, on the first of his rushing TDs, scored from one yard out in the first, giving the Patriots the early 7-0 lead. Liberty was unable to respond on the offensive side of the ball and Powdersville would stretch the lead when Emery Williams hit a streaking J. J. Gentile for a 52-yard score through the air.

At the end of one quarter of play Powdersville had a two score lead, 14-0.

Of course, Bufford was far from through.

Powdersville was able to post 21 uncontested points in the first half, capped by Bufford’s slash from the 12-yard line, before Liberty would respond offensively. Down 21-0, the Red Devils’ Eddy Mathis broke free and cut the deficit to 14 from the five yard line with a rushing TD of his own.

The third quarter would not see a change in momentum. Bufford, on his final TD of the night, scored from the seven yard line and with Austin Snow’s conversion, the Patriots had a commanding 28-7 lead. With the game all but over, Powdersville’s E. J. Humphrey broke free and rambled 67 yards for the game’s final score and the final of 35-7.

Liberty will look to draw closer to an even record when they host Landrum on Friday and Powdersville will look to take their win streak to two games as they travel to Woodruff. Both games kick off at 7:30 p.m.

By D. C. Moody

dmoody@civitasmedia.com

Reach D. C. Moody at 864-855-0355.