Rossville averaged more than 14 yards a carry on the afternoon, racking up 397 yards on 28 attempts while scoring seven rushing touchdowns.
Jalyn Shelton led the ground attack with 123 yards and two TD runs on just eight carries. Grayson Moore ran just twice, but scored both times while rolling up 103 yards, and Hunter McKenzie collected 82 yards and two scores on just four carries. Chris Henderson also found the end zone for the Blue-and-White.
Rossville's buses arrived late to the game, but the Bulldogs made up for lost time by jumping out to a 24-0 lead less than six minutes into the contest.
After forcing a three-and-out to start the game, Shelton ripped off a 64-yard TD run on the Bulldogs' first offensive play with Justin Baxter handling the 2-point conversion. The next drive took three plays as long runs by Shelton and Baxter set up Henderson's 18-yard scoring burst with Sam Oliver running it in for two.
McKenzie then got involved on the defensive side, blowing up a LaFayette pitch attempt and returning the fumble 31 yards to the Rambler 1. He got the call on the touchdown run one play later, and Henderson's conversion gave Rossville a seemingly commanding lead.
But a 50-yard kick return by LaFayette's LaTavious McClinic jump-started the Rambler offense, and three plays later, quarterback Logan Teasley hit tight end Donte Jackson over the middle for a 25-yard score, though the conversion failed.
Moore quickly answered for the Bulldogs on a 54-yard TD run with Shelton's conversion run pushing the lead to 32-6, but LaFayette refused to go away quietly.
A nice diving catch by Bryson Giddy on third down kept LaFayette's ensuing drive going and KaDarrin Ramsey capped the 10-play, 66-yard drive on a 5-yard TD run with Teasley doing the honors on the conversion. Then after stuffing a fake punt, Teasley found Ramsey on an 11-yard TD pass on fourth-and-goal with another Teasley 2-point run cutting the deficit to 32-22 at intermission.
The Bulldogs, however, would regroup at halftime and dominate the third quarter.
Rossville scored on its three possessions in the period on drives on four, two, and one play. Shelton scored from a yard out. A sack by McKenzie and subsequent fumble recovery by Cameron Stephens set up Moore's 49-yard TD run, and one play after an interception by Oliver, McKenzie ripped through the LaFayette defense on a 45-yard TD run.
"We jumped ahead so quick that I think our guys started to let up and take it easy (in the second quarter)," Rossville head coach Steve Lewis explained. "In one way, I'm glad that happened because it gave us a chance to show that we could respond to a negative situation, which our teams have had trouble with in the past. Tonight, we did an outstanding job of bouncing back."
The Ramblers would put up the final score of the game with 2:21 remaining as T.J. Dixon's 21-yard scoring scamper capped an eight-play, 74-yard drive.
McKenzie finished the day with two sacks, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery, while Sonny Green got credited with a pass break-up.
For the Ramblers, Dixon had 74 yards on 11 carries, and Ramsey picked up 45 yards on 10 carries while catching two passes for 36 yards before leaving the game midway through the third quarter with a severe leg cramp. Teasley completed 4-of-10 passes for 84 yards.
"(LaFayette) Coach (Wes) Green always does a great job, and he has phenomonal athletes, like (Ramsey) and (Jackson)," Lewis added. "Those kids have been lighting it up and they are as tough as nails. We're happy to be 2-0, but we've been 2-0 in the past and we haven't responded too well, so that's what we have to remember now. Just because we're 2-0, it doesn't mean we're where we want to be yet. These two wins are just the first two steps in a long trail."
Despite the loss, Green said he was encouraged by the way his team kept fighting.
"(Rossville) is definitely the best team in the league," he said. "They're big and strong, but our kids didn't quit, and they didn't quit last week (against Heritage). We've got a chance to win four or five games if we just keep this attitude. I'm really proud of them."
Rossville will go back on the road next Thursday for a game at Dade County, while LaFayette will also be on the road at Trion.
In other North Georgia Athletic Conference football action from Thursday, Chattanooga Valley jumped out to a 20-0 halftime lead, and evened their record at 1-1 overall with a 34-0 win at Ringgold.
It was the second straight 34-0 loss for the Tigers (0-2), who fell to Rossville last week.
No other details about the game were available as of press time.
The Eagles will play at Lakeview next Thursday.
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