PHEBA — The Hebron Christian football team racked up 350 rushing yards Friday night in a 46-6 victory against Calvary Christian.
“Offensively and defensively, we played a solid game all the way around,” Hebron Christian coach David Foster said. “We didn’t throw a pass in the game. The officials ran the clock in the second half. We only ran about 30 offensive plays but we got a lot out of those plays.”
For the Eagles (3-0), Taylor Coggins led the way with eight rushes for 178 yards, with two touchdowns and a two-point conversion. Austin Foster added nine rushes for 72 yards, with three touchdowns and a two-point conversion. Will-Corben Rogers ran six times for 85 yards and added two two-point conversions. Ryan Moore ran three times for 13 yards and a two-point score.
“The linemen did a great job of blocking up front,” Foster said. “We have improved a lot in that area. Defensively, I really didn’t think we played with a lot of enthusiasm early. They broke a long pass play on us. In the second half, we played with more intensity on that side of the ball.”
Defensively, Collin Moore and Foster each led the way with 12 tackles apiece. Ryan Moore and freshman Channing Tapley each added seven tackles. The lone turnover by either team was a 51-yard interception return by Tapley in the fourth quarter.
Through three games, Hebron Christian has allowed 32 points.
“The eight-man game is normally offensive football,” Foster said. “We have always preached on defense if you could hold the other team down some, you will win the game. We play on a regulation-size football field, so that makes it hard to guard the whole field. What we have done defensively through three games is amazing.”
Hebron Christian returns to action Thursday vs. Clinton Christian at Robinson-Hale Stadium on the campus of Mississippi College.
n Victory Christian 43, New Life 32: At Millbrook, Ala., Victory Christian football coach Chris Hamm enjoyed his team’s Christian Football Association district opener Friday night.
The bus ride back? Not so much.
“We had bus trouble and get in like 4:30 or 5 Saturday morning,” Hamm said. “Needless to say, it was a long trip. In the end, it was worth it to see us finally dent the win column.
Hamm said the Eagles are rebuilding this year. After back-to-back losses to start the season, the team made more strides to improve to 1-2 and 1-0 in the CFA.
“It is a lot easier to come back to practice on Monday after you get a win,” Hamm said. “We still had four or five miscues on offense and we should have had more points. But we are down in numbers and we are young in some spots, so we will keep working at it and keep getting better.”
Victory Christian trailed by four points at halftime and as many as 10 points in the third quarter. The strong play of running back Anthony Sharp and quarterback Bryer Bolton helped bring the squad back.
“Offensively, we played well in spurts,” Hamm said. “I think the wet field really affected us. We had some players who played with cramps. That goes back to the numbers thing with us. In the end, we gutted it out and I am proud of the effort.”
Sharp, who had 111 rushing yards, had a receiving touchdown and a rushing touchdown. Bryer Bolton added a pair of rushing scores. He was 5 of 12 passing.
The Eagles took the lead for good late in the third quarter on a 60-yard interception return by Bryer’s younger brother, Cody Bolton. It was one of two interceptions on the night for Bolton.
Brandon Shaw led the defensive effort for Victory Christian from middle linebacker with 17 tackles. Sharp added 15 tackles.
“Brandon tweaked an ankle in last week’s game,” Hamm said. “Friday night, he had some cramps in the third quarter. He just showed a tremendous amount of effort and character to stay in there and keep fighting. He would come to the sidelines and we would stretch him out. Then, he would go back out there and make plays.”
Victory Christian now has an open date before traveling to defending league champion Tabernacle Christian on Sept. 7.
“Tabernacle is the defending champion so we will have a huge challenge ahead of us,” Hamm said. “We will practice hard and see what we can do. I am proud of the guys for opening up district play with a win.”
Austin Richardson led the team with 84 yards receiving. He had a 42-yard touchdown reception.
n North Pontotoc 52, East Oktibbeha 13: At Ecru: North Pontotoc quarterback Trey Jolly threw five touchdown passes as the Class 4A Vikings had little trouble with the Class 1A Titans.
“I thought we competed,” East Oktibbeha coach Randy Brooks said. “Last season, it may have been our worst effort of the season (a 55-0 home loss to North Pontotoc). Even though we were outmanned, I thought the kids played hard and we did some things right.”
For East Oktibbeha (1-2), quarterback Justin Williams threw two touchdown passes to Juwan Roberts. Williams threw for 115 yards in the contest.
“We have a young team and the thing is consistently getting better,” Brooks said. “We want to improve each week. Through three games, we have seen some good things and we also know the things that we need to work on.”
Jolly found Ben Shannon and Marcus Green for two touchdowns apiece. Jolly also hit Murphy Daniel for another score, while adding a 1-yard touchdown rush of his own. Green closed out the Titans with an 80-yard punt return for score in the fourth quarter.
East Oktibbeha now readies for its grueling eight-game Class 1A, Region 3 schedule. That schedule starts Friday at Sebastopol.
“We are looking forward to getting region play started,” Brooks said. “Sebastopol has a physical team, so that will be a big game for us. We need to improve. The main thing is consistency. We have to get better at things we can do well.”
n Magnolia Heights 25, Starkville Academy 14: At Senatobia, Starkville Academy let a halftime lead slip away in a hard-fought loss to the Chiefs.
Magnolia Heights (2-1) only won one game last season but has already bypassed that win total with Friday’s victory.
“We are looking for some consistency,” Starkville Academy coach Jeff Terrill said. “The kids are playing hard. We play well at times. We just aren’t doing a good enough job of having that type of effort for four quarters.”
The Volunteers racked up 300 yards of total offense and 16 first downs. However, for a third straight week, turnovers hurt Starkville Academy (1-2).
Starkville Academy grabbed an early 7-6 lead on a 45-yard touchdown run by quarterback Drew Pellum. Michael Miller added a 13-yard scoring run in the second quarter as the Volunteers built a 14-6 lead. Johnathon Burton hit both PATs for the Volunteers.
Magnolia Heights took the lead good early in the third quarter on a 24-yard run by Fernando VanHook. For the Chiefs, VanHook ran for 158 yards and scored his team’s first three touchdowns.
Starkville Academy has now scored three total second-half points this season.
“We have drives where we are god and then possession where we are not,” Terrill said. “The attitude is good and the kids are working hard. We just have that mistake here or there that you can’t have. The good news is there is a lot of football left to be played and we will get better.”
Pellum ran 21 times for 131 yards. He also completed 6 of 14 passes for 63 yards, Zach Slaughter ran 12 times for 47 yards. Stephen Robertson and Drew Harrell were the team’s top tacklers.
Starkville Academy begins a three-game homestand with Leake Academy (2-1) Friday night.
n Delta Academy 26, Central Academy 0: At Macon, The Raiders built a 26-point lead in the first quarter and coasted past the Vikings (0-3).
Central Academy’s defense tightened after the first quarter, shutting out Delta Academy in the final three quarters, limiting it to just three first downs. Steven Lane led the defense with four solo tackles. Colby Robbins had an interception and fumble recovery. Eighth-grader Jack Vandevender had four tackles, as did Tyler Cumberland and Jacob Craig. T. J. Coleman also had a fumble recovery.
Russ Taylor was the leading rusher. Coleman had two long runs called back by penalty.
Central Academy will travel next week to Marvell, Ark.
n Marshall Academy 48, Immanuel Christian 0: At Holly Springs, The Patriots built a 41-0 halftime lead and cruised the victory against the Rams (0-3).
Joshua Dantzler had 12 rushed for 19 yards, while Justin Tate had 11 rushed for 24 yards. Steven Goode was 2 of 2 passing for 24 yards.
Marshall Academy outgained Immanuel Christian 461-50.
Tate had six tackles, while Will Redmond had five and Luke Hudson and Zack Ferguson had four apiece.
Immanuel Christian will play host to New Site at 7 p.m. Friday.
West Alabama
n Pickens County 40, Fayette Cunty 31: At Reform, Ala., Devonte Simon rushed for two scores, passed for another, and returned a kick 84 yards for another to help the Tornadoes win their season opener.
Simon had touchdown runs of 1 and 63 yards. He threw a 48-yard scoring pass to Rhaheem Curry. Jamarcus Brown had a 1-yard touchdown run, and Curry had a 49-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Pickens County will play host to South Lamar on Friday.
n Lamar County 34, South Lamar 0: At Millport, Ala., Alex Wheeler, Tim Harton, Dallas Cockerham, Kendal Smith and Cullen Carter had rushing touchdowns for the Bulldogs in their season-opening victory.
Wheeler led the way with 76 rushing yards, as Lamar County rushed for 282 yards.
Lamar County will play Friday at Oakman, while South Lamar will play at Pickens County.
n Pickens Academy 39, Sumter Academy 7: At Sumter, Ala., Josh Lewis rushed for 170 yards and five touchdowns Friday night to help the Pirates improve to 2-0.
Lewis had scoring runs of 43, 66, 15, 5, and 31 yards. Garrett Estes (85 rushing yards) added a 12-yard touchdown run.
Pickens Academy (2-0) will play Friday at Southern Academy.
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