Athens throttles Wills Point, 41-0
WILLS POINT -- The Athens defense throttled the Wills Point Tigers Friday night, giving the Hornets their first shutout of the season, 41-0.
With the win, Athens finished the non-district portion of its schedule a perfect 4-0. Wills Point fell to 0-4.
"The guys played really hard," said Coach Zac Harrell. "(Defensive Coordinator) Coach Bigham told them after the game they played with great effort."
Athens held Wills Point to just 125 yards of total offense on the night, all of them on the ground. The Tigers averaged just 2.7 yards per carry against the tough Hornet defense.
Athens also forced Wills Point to turn the ball over four times.
The Hornets put the game out of reach midway through the third quarter when they scored 14 points in just 11 seconds.
The sequence opened with Jecorey Roberts scoring on an 11-yard run. Roberts had 69 yards and two touchdowns on just nine carries on the night.
Wills Point fumbled on the ensuing kickoff, which was recovered by Timber Crouch. On the next play, Ty Arroyo hit Jamarius Moore in the flat and Moore did the rest for a 20-yard touchdown that pushed the score to 35-0.
Arroyo threw for 140 yards and two touchdowns, and added 88 yards and a touchdown rushing.
It was not a perfect evening for the Hornets. Athens uncharacteristically turned the ball over four times, but Coach Harrell said some of that was because of the play calls.
"That's not on our kids," he said.
But, he said, those miscues can help the Hornets learn to overcome adversity.
"What I told them is we've got to do a good job when things don't go our way of not beating ourselves up mentally," Coach Harrell said. "We have to have that 'play the next play' mentality."
The Hornets will need that mentality as they move on to District 9-4A next week. Athens will open district play on the road next Friday in Chapel Hill. The Bulldogs beat Center Friday night, 59-21.
Hannigan Media is sponsored by Athens Screen Printing, Tinsley Law & Title, and Gibson Pharmacy, R&R Lawn Specialist, and Hope Springs Water.
DID YOU NOTICE
-- Athens got fumble recoveries from Dakota Tate, Jamauri Manning, Blazyn Saxon, and Timber Crouch. Two of those recoveries came on kickoffs.
-- Although it doesn't count as a recovery, give credit to Kaleb Russell for jumping on an onside attempt by Wills Point on the opening kickoff of the second half.
-- Wills Point didn't complete a pass during the game although the Tigers tried, especially during the first quarter. On their first couple of attempts, quarterback Holden Fletcher was hit hard by Hornets Hunter White and Jaxson Stiles. The attempts to get the passing game going seemed to slow down when Fletcher was flushed from the pocket and threw the ball out of bounds, drilling one of the Wills Point coaches in the chest.
-- Senior Daniel Stanley played his first game of the year after being injured and immediately made a statement by catching passes of 27 and 31 yards, and rushing for a 33-yard score. Welcome back!
-- Jecorey Roberts didn't get many carries Friday night, but he did a lot when he did touch the ball. He averaged 7.6 yards per carry.
-- The Hornets' PAT team has come a long way since the first game of the year. Friday, Zsaid Inestroza was 5-for-6 and his one miss hit the upright.
SCORING
ATHENS (1Q 7:32) -- Ty Arroyo 6-yard run. Zsaid Inestroza kick good. -- 7-0
ATHENS (2Q 8:01) -- Ty Arroyo 1-yard pass to Jaden Crane. Zsaid Inestroza kick good. -- 14-0
ATHENS (2Q 0:44) -- Jecorey Roberts 3-yard run. Zsaid Inestroza kick good. -- 21-0
ATHENS (3Q 5:38) -- Jecorey Roberts 11-yard run. Zsaid Inestroza kick good. -- 28-0
ATHENS (3Q 5:27) -- Ty Arroyo 20-yard pass to Jermarius Moore. Zsaid Inestroza kick good. -- 35-0
ATHENS (4Q 7:22) -- Daniel Stanley 33-yard run. Kick no good. -- 41-0