GAINESVILLE -- This was just what the doctor ordered for Gainesville football.<br />
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The Red Elephants showed no hangover from last week's 26-23 loss at Lanier, keeping Clarke Central at arm's length en route to a 35-10 win on Friday in Gainesville.<br />
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The victory kept the Red Elephants secure with the No. 2 spot in Region 8-AAAAA, a game behind Lanier in the standings. (They are currently tied with Salem, but have a head-to-head win over the Seminoles this season.)<br />
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"What we've got to do is take care of our own destiny and not worry about anybody else right now," Gainesville coach Bruce Miller said.<br />
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The Red Elephants (5-2, 5-1 Region 8-AAAAA) looked as though they were very much focused on Friday, running out to a 21-3 halftime lead thanks to its aerial attack and an alert special teams. <br />
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Gainesville quarterback Mikey Gonzalez -- who passed for 304 yards and four scores on the night -- hit Messiah Dorsey for a 10-yard score before JD Sosebee pounced on a blocked field goal attempt, scooping up the ball and sprinting 70 yards for the score and a 14-0 first quarter lead.<br />
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"It was a total team victory," Miller said. "A lot of people turned the game around tonight. Our defense played great, and our run game showed up."<br />
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Placekicker Chandler Staton also came up big -- despite not hitting any field goals -- making two key tackles on Gladiators kickoff returns that could have changed the script early. <br />
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"Every week he's doing something different for us," Miller said of Staton.<br />
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Rodney Lackey caught two touchdown passes on four completions for 41 yards, while Chris Williamson also came up big, hauling in five receptions for 151 yards and a score -- his 65-yard touchdown in the third quarter putting the game out of reach. Toddrick Turner also had two catches for 48 yards.<br />
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Gainesville's defense also kept Clarke Central standout JaQua Daniels in check, as the running back managed just 29 yards on 12 carries -- though the Gladiators did manage 374 total yards -- 227 of that for quarterback Aakeem Wise, who completed 23 of 44 passes.<br />
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Gainesville will look to keep rolling next week at Cedar Shoals.

Gainesville's defense gets to grips with Clarke Central running back JaQua Daniels in the Red Elephants' win on Friday in Gainesville. / photo: David Weikel
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