Photo: Hokes Bluff’s Anderson Morgan catches a pass during the Eagles’ 31-0 victory over White Plains in high school football on Friday, Sept. 13 at Hokes Bluff. (Courtesy of Alex Chaney)
Hokes Bluff posted its first 3-0 start in seven years and notched its first shutout in 27 games with a 31-0 victory over Class 4A Region 6 rival White Plains on Friday, Sept. 13 at Hokes Bluff.
The Eagles outgained the Wildcats in total yards, 328 to 136, while limiting White Plains to seven first downs.
For the Eagles (3-0, 2-0), quarterback Bryce Whitaker rushed for 110 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 10 carries. He was 3 for 4 in passing for 54 yards.
Blaine Barron rushed 11 times for 76 yards and one touchdown, while Brenton Halle added 57 yards on 16 carries. Anderson Morgan caught three passes for 51 yards.
Allen Cox had seven tackles, followed by Drew McCarver with six and Blake Green with five. Brennan Ward had a sack.
Hokes Bluff took the lead for good late in the first quarter on Barron’s 2-yard touchdown run and Leon Chen’s PAT. Chen went 3-for-3 on extra points.
On the next White Plains’ possession, the Eagles earned two points on a safety after Wildcats were called for an intentional grounding while attempting a pass in the end zone.
Hokes Bluff made it 17-0 at the 3:08 mark of the second period with a 19-yard TD run by Whitaker, who then passed to Morgan on the two-point conversion attempt.
Whitaker’s second scoring run of the game came midway through the third quarter from nine yards out, pushing the Eagles’ advantage to 24 points. Hale’s 4-yard TD run five minutes later capped the scoring.
Hokes Bluff visits Anniston on Friday, Sept. 20 in region action.