Ben Brock (31) scored his first career touchdown Friday on a 14-yard first quarter reception, which drew big cheers from the Tift County sideline.

TIFTON – Different field, different situation, but for the second consecutive week a big fourth down stop for the Tift County Blue Devils defense fed the offense Friday night, helping pave the way to victory.

Tift County won over homecoming opponent Miller Grove, 45-0, but were only up 14-0 late in the second quarter. The Wolverines were on Tift’s 27, courtesy of a Michael Thompson interception at the 36. Miller Grove had fourth down and a scant yard to go, but when quarterback Jamaal Roach tried to run wide of his offensive line, he was met by Kadarius McDaniel in the backfield.

The Wolverines lost two yards and Tift took over at its own 29.

Tift had been bottled up nearly all game. With the exception of a fine first quarter drive and an interception for a touchdown, the Devils kept finding obstacles.

Two fumbles had been lost, one in the end zone on a pass that would have meant for a three-touchdown lead. There was the interception and when McDaniel made the tackle of Roach with approximately 3:30 left in the half, Tift had only had the ball for three plays in the entire quarter.

That all changed on a hand-off to Mike Jones.

Tift County’s offensive line opened a massive gap for Jones, who burst through it and in just a few more steps, was beyond Miller Grove’s secondary. Jones kept the jets going and breezed into the end zone for the 71-yard touchdown run at 3:19.

Rosendo Ramirez, who was 6-for-6 on extra point attempts, added the kick and the Blue Devils had breathing room at 21-0.

The score did not stay that way long.

Miller Grove had another drive into Tift territory and were at the 32 with under a minute to play courtesy of first downs on consecutive pass plays. Roach threw again, but instead found Wendell McClain.

McClain had a long return, but it was negated by a clipping penalty, bringing the ball back to his own 29. Only 32 seconds remained in the half.

If Miller Grove thought Tift would be content to sit on the football deep on their own side of the field, they guessed incorrectly. Patrick Felton barely missed a streaking Jameson Turner on a long first down pass.

On second down, Felton wanted to pass again, but finding none to his liking, began to run. Felton kept close to his sideline, but with nothing but green grass in front of him, kept going. Tyler Ajiero made a key block at the 5, allowing Felton to get into the end zone untouched with nine seconds remaining. The Devils were ahead 28-0 at halftime.

Tift County kept rolling in the second half.

A series of short passes from Felton to Mike Jones and Turner helped take the football from the Devils’ 25 to the Wolverines’ 2. Jones finished the drive with a line buck from the 1 at 6:16 in the third period.

Then it was Felton’s turn again. The senior quarterback, who had his best night running the ball since donning a navy blue uniform, kept the ball on a draw play and ran for another 73 yards, from his own 26 down to the 1 before a horse collar tackle brought him down.

Felton scored from a yard out on the next play, boosting the score to 42-0 at 1:15.

The 40-point lead going into the final quarter was enough for a running clock. Tift started the period with possession courtesy of a Tyre West fumble recovery at the 28. They advanced it to the 21 on an Airick DeLoach run before sophomore kicker Pedro Mendoza was called upon for his first ever field goal try.

Mendoza split the uprights from 38 yards out, providing the game’s final margin of victory.

Tift had started out the game in a hurry, moving from the 33 to paydirt in six plays, the touchdown coming on a pass from Felton to a wide open Ben Brock for a 14 yards. Only 1:51 had elapsed in the contest.

The 7-0 scored doubled only two plays later as Deontae Overstreet snagged a Roach pass and returned the interception for a 23-yard score.

The Devils almost had a third touchdown in the first quarter on a Turner reception, but the ball was stripped from him just before he crossed the goal line. Geon Floyd recovered for the Wolverines in the end zone.

Miller Grove was never closer than Tift’s 25 – from where Hasan Mangham missed a 43-yard field goal – but the Wolverines had plenty of options on offense.

Roach completed 15 of 27 passes for an unofficial 131 yards. Shawn Collins caught four of these for 59 yards. Kameron Williams had five for 49, his coming all in the second quarter when the Wolverines had the ball 26 plays to Tift’s six.

Jarvis Stewart, whose listed size of 5’11” and 187 pounds was substantially understated, led with 57 rushing yards on 10 tries.

Felton completed 9 of 15 passes for 101 yards and a touchdown. All four Tift quarterbacks played with Mac Turner, Jacob Beach and Weston Clamp all seeing time in the final period.

Felton gained 143 yards on the ground on four carries, two of them for touchdows. Jones added 138 yards on 14 attempts, also with two touchdowns. Five receivers caught passes, Turner leading the way with 39 yards on three catches. Ajiero had four catches for 36 yards. Brock’s one catch went for a score.

Tift County will go back on the road next Friday, taking its 5-2 record to Lowndes.