LFHS Media
The Locust Fork Hornets moved to 3-0 on the season with another high-scoring victory. This week’s victim was region foe Holly Pond. The Hornets gained 425 yards and scored 10 touchdowns, beating the Broncos 67-28. Locust Fork only passed for 99 of those yards. The remaining 326 yards came on the ground. Despite giving up 394 yards, the Hornet defense forced three turnovers, which the offense turned into points.
It took the Hornets less than two minutes to score the game’s first points Friday. Dylan Embry hit J.J. Boatright on a 33-yard pass play that gave the Hornets 6 points. Alexis Aguilar hit the point after, giving Locust Fork a 7-0 lead one minute and 15 seconds into the game. A Bronco fumble on the ensuing drive left the Hornets with a short field, and Gunner Tucker made the Broncos pay, running the ball into the end zone from 21 yards out. A missed extra point attempt left the score 13-0 with 9:34 left in the opening quarter.
The Hornets scored three more touchdowns before the end of the first. With 7:29 left in the quarter, Boatright scored on a 22-yard run. Nicholas Horn then scored on a 5-yard run with 6:04 on the game clock. The final first quarter points came from Embry, who scored on a 29-yard run with 4:23 left in first. Aguilar connected on one of the final three extra point tries, giving the Hornets a 32-0 lead after one quarter of play.
Seven seconds into the second quarter, the Hornets found the end zone again. Miles Watts ran the ball into the end zone from the 5 and Aguilar hit the point after, extending Locust Fork’s lead to 39-0. On the Hornets next drive, Horn caught Embry’s pass for a 46-yard touchdown. Another good kick from Aguilar gave the Hornets at 46-0 lead with 8:06 left in the opening half. Holly Pond’s offense finally found the end zone, running it in from the 1-yard line to make the score 46-7. But the Hornets answered, scoring seven more points on a 7-yard run from Horn and Aguilar’s kick. The Hornets headed into the locker room at the break leading the Broncos 53-7.
Holly Pond kept the Hornets out of the end zone in the third quarter while scoring two more touchdowns. The teams headed into the final quarter of play with the Hornets up 53-21.
Less than three minutes into the fourth quarter, Isaiah Rooker pushed his way into the end zone from the 1-yard line to give Locust Fork six more points. Aguilar added the extra point and with 9:10 left in the game, the Hornets were up 60-21. Holly Pond wasted no time finding the end zone on their next drive, running it 85 yards for the score. The extra point made it a 60-28 game. But the Hornets answered and with 7:55 left in the game, Horn scored on a 55-yard run. Aguilar followed the TD up with a point on the kick, for the final score of 67-28.
Embry was 4-for-6 through the air, passing for two touchdowns and 96 yards. He ran for another 75 yards and a touchdown on four carries. Horn led the Hornets on the ground with 78 yards and three touchdowns on nine carries. Gunner Tucker finished with 68 yards and a touchdown on four carries; Kolby Holt gained 42 yards on five carries; Miles Watts finished with 24 yards and a touchdown on five carries; Boatright scored a touchdown and gained 22 yards on his only reception of the game; and Rooker gained 17 yards on three carries.
With the win, the Hornets are 1-0 in 2A Region 6. Friday night they travel down the road for a match up with region and county rival Cleveland. The Panthers come into the game 0-2 after falling to Appalachian last Friday.