TIFTON – Running on the Tift County Blue Devils is hazardous to teams’ health.

One week after holding No. 1 Lee County to four yards on the ground and two weeks after setting a school record with (-38) rushing yards allowed against Worth County, the Devils did it again in a 29-10 win over Perry.

The invading Panthers gained an unofficial (-37) rushing yards Friday, courtesy of four sacks and Perry being unable to move laterally at all.

Perry had more luck in the passing game, but not much. They passed for a second quarter touchdown, but also gave up an interception score to Charles King.

King’s return was one of beauty.

Perry’s quarterback was flushed out of the pocket on a pass rush. He attempted a pass at the same time as Tyre West caught up with him at his own 10. The ball fluttered to King at the 12 and, joined by a convoy of defensive linemen, he rumbled the ball into the end zone.

Head coach Ashley Anders could not help but smile about the sight of his 315-pound defensive tackle getting a score.

“There’s nothing like a big boy being able to celebrate in the end zone,” he said. “I’m proud of him. He’s always had good ball skills.”

In fact, it may be enough to merit King winning Defensive Big Boy of the week.

“They needed something like that defensively,” he said.

While the defense did its usual work, Tift’s offense had to fight to find a rhythm against a strong Perry defense.

Azaria Smith hit Tyler Parker for a 71-yard touchdown on the opening drive, but yards were tough to come by the rest of the way.

Tift took the ball on the opening kickoff and after a quick first down pass from Smith to Parker, the Devils were penalized for a block in the back. Knocked back to their own 29, Parker ran a crossing a route and Smith hit him in stride. The sophomore did the rest, scoring at 9:58 in the first quarter.

The extra point snap was botched, leaving the Blue Devils with a 6-0 lead.

Perry got the ball on the kickoff for the first time. It didn’t take long for the Tift defense to swarm.

The first play went for (-6) yards. On third down, Bubba Ellis recorded the first sack, a five-yard loss.

Both teams picked up first downs on ensuing possessions, but both also were intercepted. Jadorian Bass caused the turnover for Perry, with Jackson Strickland returning the favor for Tift three plays later.

Tift held on to its slim 6-0 lead until midway through the second frame.

A short punt and return set them up at Perry’s 37. Smith got a first down on a pass to Timothy Wright at the 25. Following a seven-yard gain by C.J. Henley, Chrishon Stephens burst down the home sideline, sidestepped a defender and crossed the goal line at 4:35.

Perry blocked the extra point kick, leaving the lead at 12-0.

The Panthers cracked the scoreboard on the next drive.

A 37-yard pass by Lane Rucker to Brantley Gibson added 15 more yards on a facemask penalty, setting them up at the 20.

Following an incompletion, Rucker found Daequan Wright at 3:53. Caden Camp’s kick was good, narrowing the score to 12-7.

Tift needn’t worry.

The ensuing kickoff was fielded by Wendell McClain at the 25 and he made it all the way to the 18 before Jason Glover pulled him down. The Devils were not able to gain from there, but Pedro Mendoza delivered a 39-yard field goal for some breathing room at 15-7.

Then the game made a change.

West chased Rucker on the second play of the next drive and King ran back the interception. Mendoza’s kick was good and it was now 22-7.

Though the pick-six was at 2:12, Blue Devils nearly added more points in the half.

Perry lost a yard in three plays quick enough for Tift to take back over at 48 seconds. Deyonte Dean caught 31 yards in passes from Smith down to the 18, but the clock was against them. The Panthers blocked a field goal as time expired.

Another short field gave Tift its final score of the night.

After Perry went nowhere on the opening drive of the second half, the Devils started at the 23.

Chrishon Stephens was stopped short on second down, but his line opened a gaping hole on third, allowing him to run for a 13-yard score at 9:45.

From there, it was a battle of defenses.

West had a 10-yard sack in the third. He and Ellis combined for another big one in the fourth, before Shawn Lindsey dropped Perry for a 12-yard loss.

Perry punted Tift down to its 1 in the third. Smith escaped danger with a 14-yard run, but after his team ground out three first downs, the Panthers held firm at Tift’s 40.

Camp kicked the final points with 1:13 remaining in the contest. The 26-yard field goal happened after an Isaiah Morris interception landed them at Tift’s 11.

Anders said he felt his squad still needed to cut back on mistakes. He was proud that the penalty yards were down this week.

He’s not going to argue with a win, of course.

“I’ll take it all day long,” he said.

Smith had his best night under center Friday, completing 12 of 21 attempts for 174 yards. Parker had half of the yardage at 80 (and a touchdown) on three receptions. Dean had 41 yards and Wright added 45.

Six different players toted the mail for the Devils. Stephens had two touchdowns on 54 yards. Smith ran for 21 and Javon King had 18.

Rucker completed 19 of 34 passes for 169 yards and a touchdown. Gibson caught seven for 87 yards. Wright had 45 on five catches.

Tift is scheduled to open its region schedule next week at Lowndes. The Vikings have been in quarantine for the past two weeks.

“It’s on for real now,” said Anders.