Walton wallops Holmes County

DeFUNIAK SPRINGS – Overlooking one end of Yates Memorial Stadium is a construction zone for a new Walton High.

A demolition zone is what the Braves turned their turf into Friday night.

The Braves put their hard helmets on and bulldozed visiting Holmes County 40-0 in a Kickoff Classic.

Tray Williams, a promising freshman, showcased his versatility while scoring twice in the first half. On his first carry, he cut back into the middle of the field after sweeping right and raced to a 57-yard touchdown. He then hauled in a 29-yard scoring grab from Tarrell Bramlet to give Walton a 19-0 halftime lead.

While Issac Jackson didn’t score before intermission, he had a huge impact nonetheless. The reigning Daily News small school Player of the Year piled up 106 yards on just six carries, including a 37-yard and 61-yard burst that set up touchdowns.

Williams and Jackson both took a seat offensively in the second half.

Bramlet was nearly flawless and hit the sidelines in the third quarter after lobbing a 6-yard touchdown pass to Deron Hogans. He finished 9-of-12 for 107 yards and two touchdowns.

“It’s going to keep a lot of teams on their toes, so they don’t know whether we’re going to pass it or give it to Issac Jackson,” Bramlet said of the team’s balanced offense.

Despite blanking Holmes County in the first half, Walton’s defense was far from dominant. The Braves stopped the Blue Devils twice on fourth down, with the latter coming after Holmes County botched a play from the Walton 2-yard line.

Walton’s defense owned the second half, though, and John Querisma’s interception preceded Hogans’ touchdown.

Marrion Holmes had a rushing touchdown, and Liam Miller spotted Corliss Stone and Brandt Ellenberg on scoring tosses.

“There were some things starting out that were pretty sloppy and pretty shaky, but that’s why you play a game like this,” Walton coach Lenny Jankowski said. “We knew going in we were going to use this game to evaluate a lot of players, and I think we’ll be able to do it.”

There was a poignant moment before the game started as the family of Logan and Lucas Alford stood with the Braves during the national anthem. Logan, who would have been a senior on the team, and Lucas, a former player, died in a drowning accident while fishing together over the summer. Walton has dedicated the season to the Alford brothers.