Roswell football has started the year off to a great start, defeating division rivals Lambert Longhorns 34-17. Despite the abnormal score difference, the team had many ups and downs on both sides of the ball.
The game kicked off with an impressive return by junior Dre Cousey, who set up Roswell inside the red zone, giving the team an early advantage. And within three plays offensively, senior Nick Peal punched his way in for the Hornets’ first touchdown of the 2025 season.
Lambert responded with a quick touchdown of their own, tying the game 7-7. However, Roswell would not pump the brakes. With the help of an interception by junior Ian Foust, the Hornets took a 21-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.
After this sizeable first-half performance, the team started to slow down. Granted, the game was a scrimmage, and both teams began to integrate less prominent players into the game. Nevertheless, the 1’s failed to keep their pace against the Longhorns.
The pass rush was a non-factor in this contest. With the graduations of solidified defensive linemen such as South Carolina commit Kobby Sayki-Prah, this year’s D-line had much to prove, and sadly didn’t live up to it. The second and third levels looked solid, with senior linebacker Brody Duffy leading the way.
With an impressive amount of depth in the secondary and a first-rate rotation of linebackers, the defense looked stable.
On the other side, Head Coach Jonathan Thompson has revamped this offensive scheme. With a minor lack in wideout depth, the offense smartly focused on the rushing attack.
The senior duo of Peal and Kaiden Perry were instrumental in the team’s victory, each scoring two touchdowns respectively. Despite some challenges in the passing game, Cornell commit Wills Campbell had a standout performance, catching five passes for 120 yards and a score.
The offense also worked well around senior quarterback Trey Smith, who will be attending Furman University next Fall. With a year of starting under his belt, the dual-threat did a trustworthy job extending plays and reading Lambert’s zone schemes.
The only major issue with this offense would have to be the offensive line. Junior tackle Miller Westerfield had an uplifting performance as more Division 1 universities call his name. However, with a substantial lack of experience and understanding, the group struggled.
“We’ve got a lot more eyes on us because of last year’s outstanding season, and we’ve got a young team that has to fill the shoes. Lots of guys have to step up, but I know we can.” junior Dre Cousey said after the win against Lambert.
Although Roswell struggled in the trenches, the team played brilliant football altogether. The Hornets will return home this Friday for week one of the regular season, taking on Peachtree Ridge.
