Hallsville’s Ground Game Fuels the Bobcats in a 42-20 Win at Marshall

MARSHALL -- Hallsville opened District 14-4A play Friday with a 42-20 win at Marshall behind a combined 297 rushing yards from four different ball carriers.

Hallsville quarterback Austin Toney went 8 of 10 passing for 153 yards, a touchdown, and an interception, as well as 25 yards on the ground. Teammate Macailyn Wilder carried nine times for 105 yards and two touchdowns, while Thaddeus Fagan added 78 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries. Kha’lil Sneed came up big in the second half, when he ran for the majority of his 89 yards on 10 rushes.

Hallsville (5-1, 1-0) edged Marshall 450-405 in total offense.

Marshall quarterback Jacob Foster competed 16 of 23 passes for 198 yards and a touchdown, and also scored on a quarterback sneak. Tailback Nolan Allen rolled up 87 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries for the Mavericks (0-6, 0-1).

Hallsville took a commanding 28-7 lead at the half and piled on two more touchdowns in the second half.

Hallsville started the scoring midway through the first quarter with a 10-yard Fagan run. On its next possession, Hallsville had a stroke of luck in a busted reverse-play-turned-fumblerooski as Fagan was being wrapped up and put the ball on the turf. Wilder, seeing the play being blown up and the ball on the ground, snatched it up and ran 50 yards untouched up the middle for a touchdown.

Hallsville scored a third time early in the second quarter on a four-yard Wilder quarterback keeper, making the score 21-0, and it remained so until late in the second when Marshall got on the board on a 17-yard Foster-to-Mitchell Leonard play-action pass.

The momentum was short-lived. Forty-eight seconds later Hallsville roared back with a Toney-to-Wilder 61-yard rollout touchdown pass. The Mavericks were unable to close the deficit any more.

Hallsville visits rival Pine Tree next Friday. Marshall travels to Mount Pleasant.