Published: October 11, 2008 01:55 am            

CROCKETT 25, ATHENS 20: Close call (w/box score)

Hornets’ rally falls just short in District 20-AAA opener

CROCKETT — Don’t take the title of District 20-AAA favorite away from the Crockett Bulldogs just yet.

The Bulldogs, who battled injuries throughout non-district play and played minus three starters due to academic reasons Friday night, held on for a 25-20 win over the Athens Hornets in the district opener for both teams.

In dropping to 3-3 on the year, the Hornets didn’t help themselves in an attempt to upset Crockett, which was celebrating homecoming. They turned the ball over six times (four interceptions and two fumbles).

Still, with one minute left in the game, the Hornets had the ball and a chance to pull out a win. The Hornets, who started on their own 14, moved the ball to their own 46 before Taylor Jackson was intercepted by JaGared Davis — his second of the game — with 11 seconds left.

The Hornets must regroup and be ready to take on Palestine Westwood at home Friday night. Palestine Westwood (3-3) was a 51-22 winner over Brownsboro in another 20-AAA opener.

Crockett’s defensive line set the tone in the first half. Using its quickness and strength, the Bulldogs’ defensive front manhandled the Hornets and made life miserable on quarterback Travis Barkley and running backs Cameron Darty and Randall Gamble. The Hornets had 19 yards on the ground in the first half and Barkley was sacked four times.

The AHS offensive line began to make headway late in the second quarter, allowing fullback Stephen Blakemore to become a factor. With the Bulldogs up 13-0, the Hornets turned to Blakemore on four straight plays to close out a 10-play, 64-yard drive in which he accounted for 38 yards on 21 rushing and 17 receiving yards.

Blakemore scored on a five-yard run to pull the Hornets within 13-6.

Crockett went up 19-6 just before the half ended on a 14-yard pass from Anthony Harris to Calvin Rodgers out of the backfield.

The Hornet defense stepped up in the second half and prevented the Crockett ground game from being anywhere near effective as it had been in the first half. Phillip Griffin, Matt Jordan, Justin Hofstetter and Anthony Crayton led the way in the revival.

Tyler Tabor, who missed four non-district games with a foot injury, gave the Bulldogs their first points on a two-yard run with 6:29 left in the opening quarter. Harris set up the touchdown with a 49-yard run. Martin Ramirez tacked on the PAT for a 7-0 lead.

Tabor finished with 91 yards on 19 carries.

Harris scored on a one-yard run at the 10:14 mark of the second quarter. Keylan Hunter blocked the PAT. Hunter blocked another PAT later in the game and intercepted a pass in the end zone.

The Hornets struck first in the second half when Barkley flipped a pass to Darty, who had split out as a receiver. Darty sidestepped a would-be tackler and was off to the races for a 64-yard score. Zabdiel Mota’s PAT cut the Crockett lead to 19-13.

Rodgers scored on a four-yard run with 3:51 to go in the third quarter to move the Crockett lead to 25-13.

AHS answered with a nine-play, 76-yard drive, highlighted by a 38-yard pass from Barkley to Jackson, who made an adjustment on the underthrown pass. That set up a 12-yard pass from Barkley to Courtney Whitehead sliding on his knees in the end zone near the pylon.

Like Davis, Shaterrion McCullough had two interceptions for the Crockett defense.

The Hornets had 335 yards of offense on 113 rushing and 335 passing. Crockett finished with 281, getting 239 on the ground.

Crockett improved to 3-3.





BULLDOGS 25, HORNETS 20

AHS CHS

First Downs 17 17

Rushing Yards 113 239

Passing Yards 212 42

Total Yards 335 281

Passes Attempted 30 10

Passes Completed 13 2

Interceptions 4 0

Fumbles/Lost 5/2 5/3

Penalties 4/29 11/85

Punts 6/34.1 7/36.3

Score By Quarters

Athens 0 6 14 0 — 20

Crockett 7 12 6 0 —25

Scoring Summary

CHS — Tyler Tabor 2 run. (Martin Ramirez kick good)

CHS — Anthony Harris 1 run. (Kick blocked)

AHS — Stephen Blakemore 5 run. (Kick blocked)

CHS — Calvin Rodgers 14 pass from Harris. (Run fails)

AHS — Cameron Darty 64 pass from Travis Barkley. (Zabdiel Mota kick good)

CHS — Rodgers 4 run. (Kick blocked)

AHS — Courtney Whitehead 12 pass from Barkley. (Mota kick good)

        

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