By Kevin Eckleberry

Sports Editor

It was only fitting that on a night set aside to honor the LaGrange High upperclassmen that it was a group of seniors who helped fill out the highlight package.

Running back Ocie Salter ran for 174 yards in the first half and had a long touchdown run, quarterback Jamius Gunsby threw two touchdown passes and ran for another, Matt Pauley caught a scoring pass, Xavier Heard ran for a touchdown, and Joseph Mansour boomed a 74-yard punt as the Grangers blanked Kendrick 34-0 on senior night at Callaway Stadium.

LaGrange also got a contribution from junior John Wagner, who had a scoring reception.

The Grangers (5-1) have won five in a row, and they improved to 2-0 in Region 2-AAA heading into their off-week.

“It was good to get a win, that was the main thing,” said Pauley, who plays offense and defense for the Grangers. “And it was good to get the shutout.”

Before the game, the team’s seniors were recognized, and that group is in the midst of a terrific run.

With plenty of football left to be played, the seniors have helped LaGrange amass a 35-8 record since 2006, including a pair of 11-win seasons.

“They’ve been a part of a lot of wins here,” Pardue said.

One of those seniors, Salter, showed that he’s all the way back from an ankle injury that slowed him earlier in the season.

Salter had 174 rushing yards in the first half (he finished the game with 173 yards), with 45 of those yards coming on a touchdown run on the Grangers’ first possession.

Heard, a fullback who also starts at linebacker, added 87 yards on nine carries.

LaGrange had 241 yards on the ground in building a 28-0 halftime lead.

“I was proud of our guys,” Pardue said. “We ran the ball, and defensively we kept them out of the end zone.”

It took the Grangers all off three plays to begin the scoring barrage.

After Heard ripped off back-to-back runs of 9 and 10 yards, Heard hit the left sideline and used his speed to beat the Kendrick defense for the score.

Joseph Mansour’s extra point put LaGrange up 7-0 less than two minutes into the game.

On their second possession, the Grangers went 73 yards in 11 plays, with Salter doing most of the damage with 70 rushing yards.

The scoring drive was capped by Gunsby’s 11-yard touchdown toss to Pauley with 3:53 left in the first quarter.

Moments before, Pauley had a 10-yard touchdown run wiped out, and there was also a flag on his scoring catch, but that flag was waved off.

After LaGrange’s defense forced a third straight three-and-out later in the half, the offense back to work, going 47 yards in five plays for another touchdown.

Salter got the Grangers close with runs of 22 and 11 yards, and Heard put it on the 2-yard line with a 10-yard run.

Gunsby finished things off with a 2-yard run, and Jerry Smith’s two-point conversion run made it 28-0.

The Grangers’ first possession of the third quarter didn’t go anywhere, but Mansour’s 74-yard punt pinned the Cherokees back at their own 3-yard line.

After a short punt by Kendrick, the Grangers got the ball at the 32-yard line, and they needed two plays to score.

Heard got things started with a 9-yard run, and the fullback followed that with a 24-yard scoring run, and the Grangers were up 34-0.

The Grangers didn’t score again, although sophomore Q Ferrell had some nice runs in the fourth quarter.

Ferrell finished with 38 yards on four carries.

The Grangers are off until Oct. 17 when they travel to Columbus to face the Northside Patriots.

Pardue said the players will take a few days before getting back to work next week.

“We’ve got a bunch of guys banged up, and that’s not good,” he said. “Now we have an off week to help us get well and get back to full strength so we can run what we want to run on bothh sides of the football.”

One of the players who needs the rest is Gunsby, who has been slowed by a foot injury.

Also, standout senior defensive back Josh Manning - who has five interceptions - was held out of Thursday’s game.