Head coach Jonathan “JT” Thompson and the Roswell Hornets opened their 2026 campaign the way Roswell sports fans like to start a season: with a comeback win under the lights of an NFL stadium. Roswell beat Walton 32-20 at the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Thursday, August 13, after trailing 14-0 in the first quarter. If you follow Roswell’s civic and community scene through Roswell Pulse or track downtown foot traffic around Canton Street game watch parties with the Roswell Downtown Parking Wizard, this is the story that had Hornets fans buzzing all weekend.

Understanding the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic Win

Before getting into the play-by-play, it helps to understand what this game actually was. The Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic is a 35-year-old Georgia high school football tradition that kicks off the state’s season with marquee matchups at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons. Playing in it is a mark of program prestige on its own, reserved for some of the state’s top-ranked teams.

Roswell, ranked No. 4 in Class 5A entering the season, faced Walton in the Classic’s Thursday night finale, a rematch of last year’s tight 30-28 Roswell win. What made this one memorable wasn’t just the result. It was how Roswell got there: a 14-0 deficit, a defensive score that changed the game’s momentum, and 25 unanswered points that flipped a rout in Walton’s favor into a statement win for the Hornets.

At a Glance: Roswell vs. Walton, Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic

Stats current as of August 2026 and reflect the season opener only. Confirm current record and rankings before resharing, since both will change as the season progresses.

A Rocky Start for the Hornets

Walton controlled the opening quarter and looked every bit like a team ready to spoil Roswell’s season opener. The Raiders scored touchdowns on their first two offensive drives, capped by a pair of connections between Walton quarterback Christion Peacock and his younger brother, sophomore receiver Jordan Peacock, including a 74-yard score on the game’s opening possession. By the end of the first 12 minutes, Walton led 14-0 and had already pushed into Roswell territory on a third drive.

For a Roswell team many expected to roll into the season with momentum, that start was uncomfortable. It set up the kind of test that either exposes a team or reveals what it’s actually made of.

The Turning Point: Jaxon Holly’s Pick-Six

The single play that changed the game’s trajectory came on defense, not offense. With Walton threatening to extend its lead, Roswell defensive lineman Jaxon Holly, a Florida State commitment, jumped a tipped pass and returned it 58 yards for a touchdown, cutting Walton’s lead to 14-7.

Holly later described feeling the shift in the game’s momentum the moment he crossed the goal line, even though Roswell still trailed. That read proved accurate. The Hornets forced a Walton punt on the ensuing possession and answered with a Reilly Chambers field goal, narrowing the gap to 14-10 and setting up one of the more complete quarters of the young season.

Eighteen Unanswered Points Before Halftime

Roswell’s response didn’t stop with the field goal. Running back Jaden Allen capped an 8-yard touchdown run with less than two minutes left in the first half, giving Roswell its first lead of the game. By halftime, the Hornets had turned a 14-point deficit into a lead, closing the half on an 18-unanswered-point stretch that included Holly’s interception return, Chambers’ field goal, and Allen’s go-ahead score.

That half-time swing is the kind of result coaches point to when talking about program identity. Falling behind 14-0 to a quality opponent and walking into the locker room ahead reflects both defensive resilience and offensive execution under pressure, exactly the traits a team wants heading into region play.

Schletty Seals It in the Second Half

Roswell carried its momentum into the third quarter, when quarterback Matt Schletty scored on a 5-yard run to push the lead to 25-14, extending the Hornets’ unanswered scoring run to 25 points from the moment they trailed 14-0. Walton answered to cut the deficit to 25-20, briefly making things interesting again, but Schletty put the game away with a second rushing touchdown late, sealing the 32-20 final.

The final box score wasn’t lopsided in Roswell’s favor across the board. Walton actually out-gained Roswell in total yardage and picked up more first downs on the night, controlling the clock for long stretches. That detail matters for context: this wasn’t a game Roswell dominated wire to wire. It was a game the Hornets won by making the biggest plays when it counted, a takeaway both coaching staffs will study heading into the regular season.

What This Means for the Hornets’ 2026 Season

Roswell enters the 2026 season under Thompson with real expectations after a strong first year at the helm, one that included a run to the Class 5A semifinals and an offense that averaged more than 40 points a game. Quarterback Matt Schletty and a defense anchored by Holly give the Hornets a foundation heading into region play, and a comeback win of this magnitude, on a stage as visible as Mercedes-Benz Stadium, is the kind of confidence-building result that can carry into September.

For a program that lost several key contributors from last year’s roster, including multiple players who went on to FBS programs, proving it can overcome a slow start against a ranked opponent answers an early question about depth and resilience. The Hornets showed they can adjust in-game, lean on defense to change momentum, and finish close games in the fourth quarter, all traits that tend to matter more in November than in August.

Final Thoughts

A season opener is just one data point, but the way Roswell won this one says more than the final score alone. Falling behind 14-0 to a quality Walton team and answering with 25 unanswered points, capped by a defensive touchdown from a Florida State commit and two short touchdown runs from the starting quarterback, is the sign of a team that doesn’t rattle easily. Coach Thompson’s second year at Roswell is off to the kind of start that raises expectations rather than settling them.

Roswell fans watching the Hornets chase another deep playoff run this fall got exactly the season-opening statement they were hoping for at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

One game down, and the Hornets already look like a team built for the long haul.