LONGVIEW -- Michael Martinez led a balanced ground attack as Hughes Springs rolled to a 43-20 triumph over Ore City in a District 9-2A Division II opener Saturday night at Lobo Stadium.

Martinez finished the night with a game-high 90 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. The Mustangs (4-0, 1-0) pounded out 311 yards on the ground and finished with 342 total yards.

Hughes Springs held a comfortable 30-7 lead at halftime. Ore City (0-4, 0-1), which came into the game with one touchdown through three games, managed a pair of fourth-quarter scores.

Martinez got the call from two yards out to stake the Mustangs to an early lead. The subsequent two-point conversion made it 8-0 midway through the first quarter. The Mustangs were back in the end zone on their next drive as quarterback Chad McKinney slipped in from five yards with less than a minute to go in the opening frame for a 16-0 lead.

A steady diet of Martinez and Chris Royal culminated in another Mutang score as McKinney registered his second touchdown of the evening, an eight-yarder, to give Hughes Springs a 23-0 lead three minutes into the second quarter.

Ore City answered as Taylor Young pushed his way across from the 2-yard line, completing a 13-play, 63-yard drive that used almost 5 1/2 minutes. Young led Ore City with 84 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries.

Hughes Springs' Kane Sampson scored the lone Mustang points of the third when he scooted in from 14 yards to conclude a 48-yard, eight-play possession for a 37-8 advantage.

Young scored for a second time and Ore City successfully executed an onside kick to retain possession. Matthew Casey and Justin Weeks teamed up for a touchdown as the Rebs cut the deficit to 37-20 in the fourth.

Hughes Springs' Malik Chism closed the books on the scoring as he sprinted 23 yards to the end zone for the game's final touchdown and a 23-point victory margin.

Hughes Springs travels to New Diana (3-1, 0-1) on Friday, while Ore City hosts Elysian Fields (1-3, 1-0).

 

More From East Texas Sports Network