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ASHBURN — Tiftarea Academy scored in every quarter Friday, Aug. 23, and the Turner County Titans could not keep up with the pace, the Panthers winning 34-20.

John Jackson caught two touchdown passes and J.R. Walker ran for two more as the Panthers improved to 2-0 and beat a GHSA team for the third time in their history. Head coach Erik Soliday improved to 5-0 against his former school.

The Panthers led from the opening possession, a long drive finished off with a four-yard Walker run at 5:28. Harrison Powell’s kick made it a 7-0 lead.

Long plays were Turner’s friend all evening, but the first period saw a hold wipe out what would have been a 63-yard score on an end around. Instead, the drive ended with a Jackson Parrish interception.

Caden Grier burst for 27 yards on the first play of the ensuing drive, which began on their own 27. Later, caught in no-man’s land at the Turner 23, Walker converted a fourth down with a 20-yarder to Jackson to the 3.

Kaiden Richardson rumbled his way in there for the three-yard touchdown. The kick failed, but the 13-point cushion was more than enough to sustain the Panthers the rest of the night.

Turner’s first big play finished off a seven-yard drive. The Titans picked up their initial first down, then on fourth down at the 46, Jaden King threw a pass over the middle that went much further when Octavius Terry slipped out of a tackle.

Terry completed the 54-yard jaunt at 7:18, putting the Titans on the scoreboard. A pass fell incomplete to leave the score at 19-6.

The teams traded punts and Tiftarea took over at its own 39. Two snaps went nowhere and a short pass from Walker to Jackson looked to have the same outcome. But Jackson bounced off one of his linemen like a bumper car into a path of green grass. Turner couldn’t keep up with him and he blazed for a 59-yard score.

The 19-6 lead held for the remainder of the half as both teams found themselves behind the sticks.

Turner got back into the contest seconds into the second half.

Zaelyn Cole took the kickoff 92 yards up the middle of the field until he was twisted down at the 1. Tiftarea stopped the Titans once, but King went in on second down. The Panthers blocked the extra point kick, but it was now a touchdown difference, 19-12, at 10:44.

Tiftarea responded with a 13-play drive that saw Walker pick up a first down with his legs. Richardson and Walker ripped several big gains on the Titans’ side of the 50, getting down to the 8.

A hold drove them back to the 18. Walker was incomplete twice, but Jackson got himself open in the end zone, where Walker found him for an 18-yard touchdown.

Powell’s kick made it a 14-point lead at 26-12.

Big-play Turner halved that advantage in two snaps. Imerium Carridine caught King’s toss for a 61-yard touchdown at 3:36. Turner went for 2 and got it, King-to-Cole.

At 26-20, all the Titans needed was a stop. They got it, sacking Walker for an 11-yard loss at the 38. Jackson’s punt went 36 yards, allowing Turner to start at the 26.

Cole looked to have them in business, getting into Tiftarea territory on a 29-yard catch. There, the Panthers stiffened, forcing four straight incompletions to get the ball back on downs.

Two plays netted 16 yards. Now at the 39, Walker burst up the middle, picked up steam and went all the way untouched for a touchdown at 10:03. Walker ran a conversion and lead was comfortable again at 34-20.

Turner needed a response.

King completed six straight passes as eight plays picked up 36 yards. The Titans were at the Tiftarea 33. But as the last drive went, so did this one. The Panthers tightened the defense. Two false starts combined with four incompletions and another turnover on downs.

Time was getting late and Tiftarea was in no hurry. They bled the clock on runs. A hold moved them back 10 yards, but Walker and Richardson got the yardage back. A last Walker run picked up the first down at the 31 with a helpful shove from a lineman. That was the final play of the night.

Walker finished with 97 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He completed 6-of-12 passes for 135 yards and two touchdowns, with nearly all of the yardage and both of the touchdowns by Jackson.

Jackson had five receptions for 129 yards and two scores.

King threw for 203 yards for the Titans, completing 15 of 29 throws. Terry had five receptions for 85 yards and Carridine caught two passes for 68.

A massive test makes its way to Chula Friday in the form of John Milledge Academy. The Trojans are 1-1, having defeated Augusta Christian 39-19 one week after being upset by Bethlehem Christian 28-14.

Tiftarea is off to its best start since 2019, when they began 4-0. Turner falls to 0-2. The Titans go to Mitchell County Aug. 30.