MAGNOLIA -- Smackover may be on its third head coach in three years, but Greg Turner showed Monday night against Foreman that the Buckaroos still have an abundance of speed.
The senior running back ran 15 times for 201 yards and scored 5 touchdowns to power Smackover to a convincing 45-24 victory at Wilkins Stadium.
Turner, a transfer from Texas, scored on touchdown runs of 26, 8, 75, 13 and 26 yards for Smackover (1-0), which repeatedly used its speed to get out on the edge to eat up chunks of yardage against the Foreman defense.
"He's still a work in progress, and he's still got some things to work on, but he's a good one," said Smackover Coach Brian Brown, who took over the program in March after leaving Red Oak (Texas). "His talent is as good as I've seen at this level, and I've seen some really good ones."
Running back Dettravon Crockett ran 9 times for 100 yards and 1 score, while quarterback Roshard Boone completed 9 of 14 passes for 89 yards and 1 touchdown for the Buckaroos.
Quarterback Kyren Batey rushed for 140 yards and 4 touchdowns for Foreman (0-1), the defending Class 2A state champions. But the Gators had trouble holding on to the ball. Foreman committed five turnovers, including four fumbles.
"We've got some guys that hadn't played before, but once we got going, we played really well, especially when it came to forcing turnovers," Brown said. "We've got room to get better though, and we've got to because we've got another physical game coming up Saturday against Junction City."
Foreman trailed 12-0 early in the first quarter and turned the ball over three times during the game's first 14 minutes, yet found itself tied 12-12 at halftime. Smackover jumped out to an early lead behind Turner.
After forcing the Gators into a quick punt on their first possession, Turner ran down the left sideline for a 26-yard touchdown run on the first play of Smackover's opening drive to give the Buckaroos a 6-0 lead. The Gators then fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and Turner scored from 8 yards out six plays later to up Smackover's margin to 12.
The Gators finally got untracked offensively on their following series and only needed three plays to do so. Batey broke five tackles before rambling 63 yards for a touchdown. Foreman would later tie the game on Batey's 1-yard score with 3:12 left before halftime to end an 11-play, 59-yard drive.
Turner extended Smackover's lead to 19-12 with his 75-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second half, but Batey answered with a 1-yard score of his own. However, Foreman missed its third extra point, leaving the Gators down 19-18 with 5:11 left in the third quarter.
The Buckaroos continued to pour it on with scores on three of their next four possessions with Turner scoring on 13- and 26-yard runs and Boone finding wide receiver Jaqueze Modica for a 35-yard score. Crockett also added a 45-yard touchdown run late.
[HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Click here for more scores, recaps and photos]
Sports on 08/28/2018