The Murfreesboro Rattlers stumbled Friday night in Stamps against the Lafayette County Cougars, dropping the conference opener, 60-36, and their record to 1-3.
The Rattler defense had a hard time containing the Cougar running back Tredarius Burks, who carried the ball 19 times for 255 yards and three touchdowns. LC’s offense totaled 499 yards with 346 on the ground and 153 via the pass.
Murfreesboro’s offense posted 328 total yards. Quarterback Ryan Roberts hit 15 of 29 passes for 213 yards and one TD. The junior QB also threw two interceptions.
Cameron Snowden pulled in six passes for 114 yards and Garvin Gardner had three receptions for 76 yards and one TD. Tyler Gilbert added four catches for 32 yards.
Gardner lead the Rattler ground game with 18 carries for 113 yards and three touchdowns. Roberts added 12 carries for 46 yards and one TD and Snowden carried five times for 34 yards.
The Rattler defense was lead by Alex Copeland with seven solo stops. Also earning spots on the tackle chart were J.C. Motley, Jarrett Faulkner, Tyler Tomlinson, Todd Snyder, Snowden, Adam Bailey, Clay Terrell, Logan Wilcher, Wyatt Van Camp, John Gregory, Nathan Libranda, Jarrett Pitchford and Gilbert.
The Cougars posted the first points when Lederrick Lamay hit Cualan Williams for a 34-yard TD strike in the first quarter. The two-point conversion was good for an 8-0 lead.
The Rattlers responded in the first quarter when Gardner capped a drive from three yards out and Chris Odom carried in the two-point conversion.
LC added another score in the first when Kleavius Johnson scored from 10 yards out. The two-point play failed for a 14-8 lead.
LC added two more scores in the second quarter. Burks scored his first TD of the night from two yards out and Williams returned a Rattler punt 56 yards.
The Rattlers and Cougarsboth added more scores before the first half expired. Gardner went in from two yards out and then added the two-point run. LC quickly responded with a 56-yard TD pass.
Murfreesboro added the final points of the half when Roberts capped a drive from three yards out. An incomplete PAT pass set the halftime score at 34-22.
The Cougar offense continued to move quickly and posted four more scores in the second half. Burks scored twice – once from 47 yards out and another from 50 yards out. LC’s scoring was capped in the fourth with a 56-yard TD run by Williams and the final score of the night from Lamay from 13 yards out.
The Rattlers’ second-half scoring came in the third quarter when Roberts hit Gardner for a 60-yard TD and in the fourth quarter when Gardner dashed in from two yards out.
