Running game puts up 43, while defense pitches second straight shutout

For the second consecutive week, the football team pitched a shutout. The offense added 43 points and Stephenson beat Columbia 43-0. Stephenson’s offense got rolling early as Jared Pollard ran 65 yards for a touchdown and Carisseion Gilbert connected on 3-yard touchdown pass to Richard Drake in the first quarter. Colin Anderson added the extra points and Stephenson (2-0) led 14-0. Later, Raymond Sanders added a 23-yard touchdown run. The Jaguars led the Eagles (1-1) 20-0 at halftime and never looked back. Thomas Jackson returned to the Stephenson secondary, but Tarek Knights and Kerry Hartley remained out with injuries. “We’re very proud of our defense,” said Jaguars head coach Ronald Gartrell. Stephenson will have the week off before playing at Ware County on Sept. 19. … All of the school’s athletic teams are under new leadership as the school recently hired Reggie L. Perry as their new Athletic Director. Perry comes over from Meadowcreek High School where he was the head football coach. Perry’s teams went winless in three years at Meadowcreek. He was 10-11, however, as head coach of Redan in 2003 and 2004.