Athens Routs Rusk for Hornets’ First 4-0 Start Since 1996
RUSK -- The Athens Hornets improved to 4-0 for the first time since 1996 with a 49-0 win over the Rusk Eagles on Friday night.
The shutout was the second in three games for the Hornets, who will put their undefeated streak on the line next Friday at home against the Palestine Wildcats. Rusk fell to 1-3. Athens had five takeaways against the Eagles, who managed just 64 total yards.
Athens sophomore Logan Fuller took advantage of another solid performance from the offensive line, bulling his way for a 148-yard night on the ground with a varsity career-high five touchdowns. All told, the Hornets racked up 339 yards on the ground.
Fuller opened the scoring with a 4-yard run in the first quarter, capped by the first of six extra points from David Cedillo. Fuller followed that touchdown runs of 3 and 6 yards in the second quarter to give Athens a 21-0 lead at the half.
Cedillo nailed a 25-yard field goal to end the Hornets' first drive of the third quarter to push the lead to 24-0, and the lead moved to 26-0 after the Eagles snapped a punt attempt into the end zone. Rusk would later give up another safety on a high snap during a punt, and the Eagles ended up with three bad snaps that totaled 77 lost yards.
Fuller's fourth touchdown of the night, another three-yarder, gave Athens a 33-0 lead with 6:13 left in the third quarter. Athens quarterback Anthony Sanders made it 40-0 on a five-yard run early in the fourth, and the Hornets rounded out the scoring on a one-yard run by Fuller after a turnover and the second safety.
Isiah Francis led Rusk with 51 yards rushing on seven carries, but he was helped off the field late in the game after suffering a brutal hit from Athens defensive back Billy Ruth.