Roswell Rallies From 14 Down to Beat Walton 32-20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Day two of the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic, and we finally got a game that felt evenly matched. Walton spent the first quarter looking like the better team until Roswell spent the next three proving none of that mattered.

Roswell Roars Back from a Slow Start

The Hornets fell behind 14-0, then reeled off 32 straight to beat Walton 32-20 Thursday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Eighteen of those points came in the second quarter. The rest arrived in the third and fourth, by which point the Raiders' offense stalled out and never could find the right gear.

Here's what will frustrate Walton's coaching staff when they look back at the film. Walton won most of box score. The Raiders out-gained Roswell in total yardage 328-253, they picked up more first downs, and controlled the clock. And impressively, for the first game of the season, they committed only one penalty all night.

But it wasn't enough.

Hornets Convert Turnovers Into Points

Roswell won the two key areas that actually decide football games. Turnovers and red zone efficiency. The Hornets intercepted Walton twice and turned those mistakes into 14 points, one of them a pick-six by Florida State commit Jaxon Holly. They went 4-for-4 in the red zone, had 12 tackles for loss, and held Walton scoreless across the second and third quarters.

On offense, Roswell's theme was simple: run the ball, run the ball, then run it again. Quarterback Matt Schletty carried 22 times for 95 yards and two scores, adding 54 yards on 7-of-15 passing. Jaden Allen chipped in 49 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. Dre Cousey needed just two attempts to gain 51. Roswell finished with five rushers gaining 199 yards on 44 carries, never needing a passing game to make big gins down the field.

Peacock Brothers Lead Walton

Walton had a few answers, but just not enough. Christion Peacock threw for 153 yards and a touchdown with an interception. He ran for 57 yards and another score. His brother Jordan was the Raiders' most dangerous player, catching seven passes for 76 yards and reaching the end zone twice on the night.

For the Raiders, they're obviously talented. They've shown they can move the ball and put up points, but they can't afford to give up takeaways. Especially ones that end up in the end zone.

Roswell has the opposite problem. A team that spots an opponent 14 points normally won't get three quarters to get back into the game. But the Hornets also just learned that they can, and that will give them the confidence they'll need later in the season. The run game will hold up under pressure, and the defense will tighten when the game asks it to.

That may be a more valuable lesson than a fast start.

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