Photo: Hokes Bluff’s Bryce Whitaker runs over Anniston’s Kyree Leis on the way to a second quarter touchdown during the Eagles’ 37-18 victory in high school football on Friday, Sept. 20 in Anniston. (Courtesy of Alex Chaney)
Hokes Bluff remained undefeated on the season with a 37-18 victory over Class 4A Region 6 rival Anniston on Friday, Sept. 20 in Anniston. It is the first time the Eagles began a season at 4-0 since the 2018 season.
Hokes Bluff (4-0, 3-0) out-gamed the Bulldogs 385 to 770 in total yards, with a 364 to 212 edge on the ground. The Eagle defense held on four fourth down conversion attempts.
Brenton Hale paced the Hokes Bluff rushing attack with 151 yards and three touchdowns on seven carries for a 21.6 average per attempt.
Quarterback Bryce Whitaker ran 11 times for 101 yards and a TD, while Blaine Barron gained 73 yards on 14 carries. Alex Carter added 39 yards on five attempts.
Allen Cox and Drew McCarver each finished with six tackles, followed by Conner Ford with five and Carter with four. Blake Green had an interception return for 75 yards, while Anderson Morgan had five pass break-ups.
Hokes Bluff built a 14-0 halftime lead courtesy of touchdown runs by Hale and Whitaker. Hale’s 17-yard TD run opened the scoring with 25 seconds left in the first quarter, with Leon Chen pushing through the first of his four extra points on the night. Whitaker took it in the end zone from three yards out at the three-minute mark of the second period.
The Eagles stretched the advantage to 21-0 on Hale’s 54-yard scoring run at the 10:20 mark of the third quarter, but a pair of touchdowns by Damon Pope pulled Anniston within 21-12 entering the final 12 minutes.
But Hokes Bluff took control in the fourth quarter, during which Hale’s 67-yard touchdown run, Chen’s 22-yard field goal and Whitaker’s 25-yard TD run widened the gap to 25 points.
The Bulldogs scored in the game’s final seconds on Pope’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Brock Grant.
The Eagles continue region play on Friday, Sept. 27 at Glencoe.
