7-touchdown night from ‘phenomenal’ Sequoyah RB makes school history

Sequoyah running back Will Rajecki readily admitted earlier this week that he didn’t have his best game when his team played Region 6-5A rival Sprayberry last season, rushing for a season-low 40 yards in a 31-17 loss that ultimately determined the region champion.

Given one last chance against the Yellow Jackets, the senior made amends.

Rajecki rushed for 253 yards and seven touchdowns on 27 carries to lead the Chiefs to a 63-20 victory in a matchup of undefeated and top10 teams Friday night at Skip Pope Stadium in Canton.

Rajecki, who has committed to Memphis, became the first player in history from a Cherokee County school to have seven rushing touchdowns in a game, according to the Georgia High School Football Historians Association.

“He just did a phenomenal job,” said Sequoyah coach James Teter, who recorded his 100th victory at the school last week against Riverwood. “I mean, Will does that week in and week out. He’s a special, special player, and he’s a special person. He leads by example in practice, and he just had a great night. We’re really proud of him.”

Eighth-ranked Sequoyah (5-0, 2-0) emerged as the overwhelming favorite to win the region championship, a feat the Chiefs haven’t accomplished since 2003. And if Sequoyah wins out, as expected, it will be the first 10-0 regular season in school history.

No. 6 Sprayberry (4-1, 1-1) came in averaging 11 points per game but gave up more than that in the first 11 minutes Friday as Sequoyah scored on two of its first three possessions, on a 3-yard run by Rajecki and an 18-yard pass from Kolby Martin to Jack Ripley for a 14-6 lead.

The game swung decidedly in Sequoyah’s favor on Sprayberry’s next drive, when Yellow Jackets quarterback Jaden Duckett left the game with an injury suffered when he caught his own tipped pass but was tackled heading for the sideline.

Duckett’s backup, Carson Bahry, threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Alabama-committed wide receiver/defensive back Jorden Edmonds on the next play to cut the lead to 14-13, and Duckett returned on the next series, but Sequoyah scored three touchdowns in the final 7:49 of the half to pull away. Rajecki had touchdown runs of 28 and 3 yards, and Jedadieah Marshall returned an interception 91 yards for a 35-13 lead going into halftime.

“We were really worried about their offense and their quarterback and their athletes,” Teter said. “I think (Duckett) getting dinged up helped us a little bit because he couldn’t scramble as much, and last year he just kinda ran all over us. But we were able to keep him pinned in, and that allowed us to come out ahead.”

Sprayberry was still within 15 (35-20) after Duckett threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Georgia-bound Kealan Jones on the first possession of the second half, but Rajecki scored on each of Sequoyah’s next four drives, on runs of 4, 2, 7 and 51 yards.

“I came in with a really strong mindset,” said Rajecki, who went over the 900-yard mark rushing in five games. “I knew they were going to come in real physical. I knew they thought they were going to come into our house and run this thing. But we came in with a strong mindset and just took care of business.”

Sequoyah finished with a 514-305 advantage in total offense. Martin was 6-of-9 passing for 153 yards and had 63 yards rushing on three carries.

Duckett was 13-of-28 passing for 134 yards and ran for 24 yards on five carries. Edmonds had eight catches for 105 yards.

Sprayberry - 6-7-7-0 - 20

Sequoyah - 14-21-21-7 - 63

First quarter

Sequoyah - Will Rajecki 3 run (Leif Hansen kick), 9:12

Sprayberry - Maaziah Brown 41 field goal, 6:54

Sprayberry - Brown 36 field goal, 3:40

Sequoyah - Jack Ripley 18 pass from Kolby Martin (Hansen kick), 1:34

Second quarter

Sprayberry - Jorden Edmonds 16 pass from Carson Bahry (Brown kick), 9:51

Sequoyah - Rajecki 28 run (Hansen kick), 7:49

Sequoyah - Rajecki 3 run (Hansen kick), 2:45

Sequoyah - Jedadieah Marshall 91 interception return (Hansen kick), 0:39

Third quarter

Sprayberry - Kealan Jones 28 pass from Jaden Duckett (Brown kick), 10:25

Sequoyah - Rajecki 4 run (Hansen kick), 7:00

Sequoyah - Rajecki 2 run (Hansen kick), 3:27

Sequoyah - Rajecki 7 run (Hansen kick), 1:00

Fourth quarter