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Running backs Tiy Reed and Briston Bennett each scored a pair of touchdowns, quarterback Nick Semptimphelter had a spectacular starting debut, and Battle Ground Academy’s defense dominated, as the Wildcats scored a 42-7 home win over Forrest.
Semptimphelter, a junior, was 18 of 22 passing for 231 yards and two touchdown passes in his first start after taking over for the graduated Drew Martin.
BGA’s defense stoned the Rockets from start until nearly the finish, when Forest finally scored with under a minute to play. The Rockets had 101 yards of total offense on 38 snaps.
BGA, meanwhile, gained 327 yards on 43 snaps. Briston Bennett carried four times for 57 yards, while his cousin, Chico Bennett, led the team with five catches for 97 yards.
Leading by 28, Semptimphelter and Bennett hooked up on a third-quarter scoring toss, before he added another to Garnett Hollis.
BGA took a quick 7-0 lead with 9:08 left in the first quarter on Reed’s 4-yard run.
Just 2:28 later, the Wildcats blocked a punt and recovered in the end zone to take a 14-0 lead.
WIth 2:20 left in the quarter, Bennett’s 30-yard run, followed by kicker Jack Sauder’s third extra point, put BGA up 21-0.
A 2-yard Reed scoring run helped BGA to a 28-0 halftime lead.
The Wildcats had a 265-25 edge in total offense at the break. Forrest had 16 rushing attempts for 16 yards and just two first downs at half.
Semptimphelter was 14 of 18 for 179 yards passing at the half. Chico Bennett, BGA’s star linebacker who’s committed to Georgia Tech, had four catches for 76 yards at the break. He mostly played on defense last season.
Forest didn’t score until Max Kirby hit Blaize Sweeney for a 23-yard score with 47 seconds left.
BGA (1-0) travels to Nashville Christian next Friday.
