CLAXTON — Zachaeus Grant ran for 246 yards and four touchdowns on only seven carries — all in the first half — and added an interception return for a touchdown as Claxton rolled past Savannah Country Day 54-0 on the Tigers’ homecoming night.
    Grant had touchdown runs of 71, 80, 14 and 76 yards and Claxton’s speed and dominant offensive line play opened up huge holes on the night for the Tigers.
    “He has tremendous vision,” Claxton (5-2, 3-1) head coach Patrick Hendrix said of Grant. “Once he gets past the first line of defense, he’s very elusive. He really sees the field and where he needs to make the cuts.”
    The Tigers wasted little time getting on the scoreboard as on their second play, Grant appeared to be stopped in the backfield. But he was able to bounce outside and race 71 yards down the sideline to put Claxton up 6-0 a little more than a minute into the game.
    Devontay Bacon added a 26-yard touchdown run straight up the middle with 47 seconds remaining in the first quarter to put the Tigers up 14-0 following the two-point conversion.
On the ensuing Hornets (1-6, 1-5) possession, Grant intercepted an errant pass to give the Tigers the ball on their 20.
    On the next play, Grant went 80 yards for his second touchdown of the night to put the Tigers up 20-0.
    Their next possession saw the Tigers’ longest drive of the night as they went 92 yards in 14 plays, culminating with -- who else – Grant running 14 yards for the touchdown.
    The Tigers’ Cornelius Taylor intercepted another Hornet pass attempt just before halftime, which led to Grant’s 76-yard scamper for his fourth touchdown of the half.
    “Offensively, we clicked on all cylinders tonight,” Hendrix said. “Our kids came out and played really well.”
    Defensively, the Tigers intercepted four Hornets passes and recovered three fumbles while holding Savannah Country Day to 164 total yards.
    It was the first shutout by the Tigers since a 14-0 Tigers win over Jenkins County in 2007.
    “We played fast on defense and were very physical,” Hendrix said. “Our coaches did a great job of getting them prepared, and it speaks well of their efforts and the players.”
    The one blemish for Claxton was penalties. The Tigers were flagged nine times for 110 yards. Many of those penalties extended drives for the Hornets and, while they ultimately didn’t cost Claxton Friday night, Hendrix knows the Tigers will have to cut down on them if they want to be successful in close games.
    Grant and Tyquan Williams each returned an interception for a score in the second half and Marty Chapel added a 63-yard touchdown run to account for Claxton’s second-half points.
    The Tigers were able to play several second-string players in the second half, which featured a running clock, giving them valuable experience.
    “It’s huge for them,” Hendrix said. “It’s a lot different playing under the lights on Friday nights than it is playing on Thursday (when junior varsity games are typically played.) That’s how you build a program is getting younger guys experience.”
    Claxton will play Thursday when the Tigers face region foe Calvary at 7 p.m. at Bell Memorial Field.