Photo by Alex Chaney
Darrian Meads made sure that the first game played on Mike Robertson Field was a memorable one last Friday (Oct. 12).
In just over 30 minutes of action, the junior halfback rushed 17 times for 401 yards and three touchdowns in the Eagles’ 49-10 win over Class 4A, Region 6 rival Cleburne County.
In a pre-game ceremony, the field was re-named in honor of the current HBHS head football coach, who over the past 18 years has guided the Eagles to a 150-104 record (including a 76-69 region mark) and a state championship in 2001.
Quarterback Austin Gulledge threw three touchdown passes for the second-ranked Eagles (7-0, 5-0); two to Braydon Hill and one to Meads.
The hosts rolled up 547 yards of offense, including 450 on the ground.
Hokes Bluff took a 7-0 lead courtesy of Meads’ 89-yartd touchdown run at 9:09 of the first quarter. Ethan Holcomb connected for the first of his seven PATs for the game.
A 10-yard TD run by Gulledge at 5:51 and a 1-yard scoring run by Meads at 3:14 provided Hokes Bluff with a 21-0 lead after 12 minutes.
All of Gulledge’s TD passes came in the second quarter. The first was to Meads for 42 yards, the second to Hill for 25 yards and the third to Hill for 28 yards for a 42-0 lead at halftime.
Meads capped Hokes Bluff’s scoring with a 60-yard touchdown run 51 seconds into the third period.
The Tigers got on the scoreboard with Joseph Stephens’ 27-yard field goal late in the third quarter and Arcavius Brown’s 15-ayrd down run in the game’s final minutes.
Gulledge was 4 for 7 in passing for 97 yards and rushed six times for 38 yards.
Jackson Fielding led in tackles with nine, followed by Hill with six and Gulledge with five.
Hokes Bluff continues region play this Friday (Oct. 19) with a visit to Cherokee County in Centre.