BURLINGTON: Walter Williams is back at the football heights they enjoyed during the 1970s and 1980s.
They have a Duke recruit at quarterback, depth at running back, size along the interior lines and more players than some 4A schools.
Last week, the Bulldogs were forced to play a night early against Orange because of Hurricane Helene. Even with rain falling down around them on a Thursday night against Orange, the Bulldogs rushing game would not be deterred.
Senior running back Amarion Richmond rushed for 230 yards and four touchdowns, including three on the ground, and the Bulldogs piled up 445 yard on the soggy turf at Memorial Stadium in a 47-23 victory over Orange. It was the Bulldogs fifth straight win over Orange since they became Central Conference rivals in 2021.
The night wasn’t a lost cause for the Panthers. Senior wide receiver Kingston Purefoy-Farrington finished with 219 receiving yards and three touchdowns, his 2nd 200-yard receiving game of the year. Junior quarterback Kyse Devore, who was pressed into duty after senior starter Hank Nunnery suffered an injury at Montgomery Central on September 13, threw for 226 yards and three touchdowns.
Orange senior linebacker Jayden Medley finished with 20 tackles, a forced fumble and a recovered fumble.
“Williams is the standard,” Orange head coach DeVante Pettiford said as the players walked along a shiny, wet track on its way to the team bus. “They’re the big dogs in this conference. Ever since I’ve been here, they’ve been where we want to go. They do everything first class. More importantly, they have a great coaching staff that does great things.”
Orange did have its first lead of the conference slate. On the first play of the game, Williams quarterback Dan Mahan mishandled a toss sweep, which was recovered by senior linebacker Justin Torain. It led to Will Cooper kicking a 27-yard field goal to put the Panthers ahead 3-0.
The Bulldogs would quickly score 20 points over its next three possessions. A big kickoff return led by the Bulldogs starting its next drive at the Panther 38-yard line. Williams’ Kameron Rogers had a touchdown called back on a holding penalty, but Richmond galloped up the middle on 3rd-and-goal from the Orange 18 and ran through untouched. The extra point was blocked.
Williams went 58 yards on just three plays on its next drive. Mahan, who is the starting catcher for the Bulldogs baseball team, threw to Bron Rogers for 15 yards to cross into Panther territory. Then Mahan scored on a keeper from 35 yards out. The extra point by Cole Brinskelle put Williams ahead 13-3.
After the Panthers failed to get a first down on its subsequent drive, Mahan hit Andrew Cruz for 21 yards. On the next play, Mahan found Richmond for a 21-yard touchdown pass.
Orange defensive back Hunter Frazier picked off a pass from Mahan at the Orange goal line and returned it 20 yards to open the second quarter. Williams led 20-3 at halftime.
It remained 20-3 going into the third quarter after Orange cornerback Dominic O’Keefe picked off a pass from Mahan after the Bulldogs drove down to the Orange 23-yard line.
After a short Orange punt led to Williams setting up at the Panther 38-yard line, Richmond roared up the middle for a 27-yard touchdown.
Suddenly, the game turned into a track meet on a muddy field. Devore found Kingston-Farrington for a 39-yard strike from Devore. Cooper’s extra point narrowed Williams lead to 27-10.
It took only two plays on the next Williams drive to change the score again. Mahan hit Bron Rogers for 15 yards, which led to Kristopher Rogers scoring on a handoff up the middle from 46 yards.
To open the fourth quarter, Richmond broke free for a 68 yard touchdown on a one-play Williams touchdown drive. The extra point missed wide left and kept the score at 40-10.
Orange found rare good fortune on 3rd down when Devore hit Purefoy-Farrington on a 75-yard strike for a touchdown.
It appeared Orange would punt on its next drive, but the Bulldogs were hit with a personal foul after an incomplete pass on 3rd-and-14. Once again, Devore found Purefoy-Farrington, who made the catch and ran in uncontested after Williams’ defensive back gambled and lost on an interception attempt.
Kristopher Rogers scored his second touchdown on a 26-yard run. Earlier in the drive, he ran for 29 yards to cross into Panther real estate.
Orange will host Cedar Ridge for Homecoming this Friday night at Auman Stadium.
WILLIAMS 47, ORANGE 23
ORA–3 0 7 13-23
WIL–20 0 7 20-47
ORA–Will Cooper 24 FG
WIL–Amarion Richmond 18 run (kick blocked)
WIL–Dan Mahan 35 run (Cole Brinskelle kick)
WIL–Richmond 21 pass from Mahan (Brinskelle kick)
WIL–Richmond 27 run (Brinskelle kick)
ORA–Kingston Purefoy-Farrington 39 pass from Kyse Devore (Cooper kick)
WIL–Kristopher Rogers 46 run (Brinkselle kick)
WIL–Richmond 68 run (kick failed)
ORA–Purefoy-Farrington 75 pass from Devore (kick failed)
ORA–Purefoy-Farrington 75 pass from Devore (Cooper kick)
WIL–K. Rogers 26 run (Brinskelle kick)
RUSHING: ORANGE 24-24 (Deandre Brown 7-18, Purefoy-Farrington 1-12, Kayden Bradsher 8-11, Devote 6-(-2), team 1-(-2), Hunter Frazier 1-(-15))
WILLIAMS: 43-445 (Richmond 21-230 3 TDs, K. Rogers 11-158 2 TDs, Mahan 3-40 TD, Ahmar Watkins 5-12, Kyrian Fuller 2-6, William Overby 1-(-1)
PASSING: ORANGE (Devore 12-26 226 yards 3 TD 2 INT)
WILLIAMS (Mahan 11-16 113 yards TD 2 INT)
RECEIVING: ORANGE (Purefoy-Farrington 6-219 3 TD, Hunter Albert 3-(-2), Jayden Medley 2-9, Bradsher 1-0)
WILLIAMS (Fuller 3-2, Andrews Cruz 2-29, Bron Rogers 2-26, Overby 2-21, Richmond 1-21, Braeden Vetter 1-15)