The Forrest Rockets were looking to bounce back from a shutout loss to Columbia Academy last week, but things didn’t get any better as the fifth-ranked Watertown Purple Tigers (6-0) blasted Chapel Hill 49-14 on Homecoming.

“I didn’t do a good job of getting these kids ready to play,” Forrest coach Eli Stephenson said. “We have to get better at that and come out of the gate playing.”

Watertown scored every time they had the ball in the first half and added a punt return touchdown to take a 49-14 lead at the intermission.

“They (Watertown) are a good ballclub, they got some great athletes on that team,” Stephenson said. “They are big, fast, and physical and are a good ballclub.”

Chapel Hill was enveloped in a deluge at halftime and the entire second half was played in the rain with a running clock due to the TSSAA 35-point mercy rule.

“We did not quit tonight,” Stephenson said. “That’s one thing they are not going to do and I’m proud of them for that.”

Deramus Carey scored on a 10-yard run to cap off Watertown’s first possession of the game and Forrest fumbled away the ensuing kickoff before the Purple Tigers made it 14-0 on a Heath Price 1-yard run with 8:25 remaining in the first quarter.

The Rockets went three-and-out on their second possession and Watertown put together an eight-play, 68-yard drive capped off by a Price 9-yard run to make it 21-0.

The Rockets had nothing on offense and had to punt the ball away again and this time the Purple Tigers pulled some razzle-dazzle on a reverse punt return that went 86 yards for a score by Elijah Maklary.

Cole Villazon blocked the PAT and Watertown led 27-0 at the end of the first quarter.

Forrest went three-and-out again and Watertown made them pay just two plays later when Price found the end zone from 18 yards out.

Price passed to Zach Hill for the 2-point conversion, making it 35-0 with 11:19 remaining in the first half.

The Rockets finally got moving on offense, starting at their own 38-yard line before Nick McClendon ripped off a long run down to the Watertown 12-yard line.

After two running plays were stuffed by the Purple Tigers’ defense, Forrest quarterback Josh Meglis found Gauge Anderson for his first varsity touchdown catch on third down.

“We really needed that for a momentum change and it gave us a little confidence boost because we started to move the ball after that,” Anderson said. “It was great, it was one of the best feelings I ever had.”

Dalton Colvin added the PAT kick to make it 35-7 with eight minutes remaining in the first half.

“I was so proud for him (Anderson), when he got his number called, he answered for us,” Stephenson said. “He does a great job for us, he comes to work every day and is a great special team’s player, so it was just great to see him answer when his number was called.”

Watertown came right back with another score when Price rambled for a 14-yard touchdown run just over two minutes later to put the Purple Tigers up 42-7.

Meglis completed a long pass to Spencer McCown on first down after the Watertown kickoff and the Rockets had first-and-ten from the Purple Tigers’ 15-yard line.

The Rockets ran three straight plays and faced a fourth-and-one before calling timeout with 3:16 remaining in the first half.

Wes McCoy busted for the first down carry and McClendon followed with a touchdown run.

Colvin’s extra point boot was true and the Rockets trailed 42-14.

Watertown was backed up their own 22-yard line after the ensuing kickoff, but a personal foul on McClendon let them out and two plays after the Forrest penalty, Carey ran to pay dirt from 40 yards out and Cole Miller added the PAT to make it a 49-14 contest at the half.

“We are working on fixing discipline problems,” Stephenson said. “We have to fix that and can’t be having it hurt the whole team, so that is what we are working on.”

The rain began to fall in earnest as the second half was played with a running clock due to the 35-point mercy rule and neither team managed much offense in the inclement weather and the game ended with same score as at the half.

“I was proud of them in the second half, we came out and made some adjustments and played better,” Stephenson said. “Last week it snowballed on us and in the first half tonight it snowballed on us, but unlike last week we came out in the second half and played much better to get kind of a moral victory.”

The Rockets (2-4, 1-2) try to bounce back this week when they travel to Lewis County (4-1, 3-0) for an important Region 5AA contest.

“The next game, Lewis County is really important to us,” Stephenson said. “It’s a region game, they are a tough opponent and we have to be ready to play.”

“We have to go to their place, its tough going in there, but we are going to have them ready to play next week.”

Watertown 27 22 0 0-49

Forrest 0 14 0 0-0

Scoring Plays

First Quarter

Watertown-Deramus Carey 10-yard run, Cole Miller PAT, 9:30.

Watertown-Heath Price 1-yard, Miller PAT, 8:25.

Watertown-Price 9-yard run, Miller PAT, 3:30.

Watertown-Elijah Maklary 86-yard punt return, PAT blocked, 0:40.

Second Quarter

Watertown-Price 18-yard run, Zach Hill PAT pass from Price, 10:47.

Forrest-Gauge Anderson 12-yard pass from Josh Meglis, Dalton Colvin PAT, 8:00.

Watertown-Price 14-yard run, Miller PAT, 5:44.

Forrest-Nick McClendon 2-yard run, Colvin PAT, 2:40.

Watertown-Carey 40-yard run, Miller PAT, 1:14.

Total Offense: Watertown 425, Forrest 147.

Rushing: Watertown 307, Forrest 88.

Passing: Watertown 118, Forrest 59.

Penalties: Watertown 4-30, Forrest 6-50.

Turnovers: Watertown 1, Forrest 2.

Forrest Offense

Rushing: Nick McClendon 13-90-TD, Wes McCoy 4-5, Joseph Whitaker 2-4, Jacob Wright 1-4, John Dippold 1-(-2), Josh Meglis 1-(-13).

Passing: Josh Meglis 6-12-59-TD-INT.

Receiving: Spencer McCown 2-41, Gauge Anderson 2-10-TD, Nick McClendon 1-5, Joseph Whitaker 1-3.

Kicking

PAT: Dalton Colvin 2-2.

Punting: Wes McCoy: 4-134-36.7.

Returns

Kickoffs: Cole Villazon 3-52, Wes McCoy 1-18, Noah Hill 2-8, Jacob Wright 1-4.

Defense

Tackles: Noah Hill 7, Jeff Gross 5, Jayme Ozburn 4, Alex Patmore 4, Joel Burton 2, Pryor Haines 2, Wes McCoy 2, Kody Patin 2, Sammy Williams 2, Jacob Wright 2, Dalton Colvin 1, Aiden Freeman 1, Max Kirby 1, Nick McClendon 1, Cole Villazon 1.