Hartselle blasts Curry on homecoming
Hartselle's Masio Stover tries to elude the tackle of Curry's Skyler Stephenson. Stover finished the game with 105 yards on just eight carries. | Special to the Enquirer: Richard Hollingsworth
Hartselle (7-0, 5-0) rolled up 528 yards including 440 yards on the ground as the Tigers cruised to a 55-7 win over Curry on homecoming Friday night.
Although the Tigers won easily, they looked sloppy at times on offense and special teams. The Tigers had six fumbles, three of which were lost, and they also muffed a punt that they were fortunate to recover.
In fact Curry’s only touchdown was a scoop-and-score of a Tiger fumble.
Head coach Bob Godsey said that even though the offense played sloppy at times, the defense kept Curry in check.
“Our first couple of drives were very crisp when we scored touchdowns,” Godsey said. “We got a little sloppy after that in the first half, but the defense never played sloppy.”
Sloan Godsey (center) was crowned Homecoming Queen during halftime of Friday's game. She was crowned by Homecoming King Alec Durand. She is escorted by her father, Bob Godsey. | Special to the Enquirer: Richard Hollingsworth
The night was also special for the head coach as his daughter, Sloan, was crowned homecoming queen. The coach donned a coat and tie to escort his daughter during homecoming festivities at halftime of the game.
“It was great to see her be the homecoming queen,” Bob Godsey said. “It’s a great honor for her.”
Hartselle also had three runners reach the century mark. Blake Slayton led the Tigers with 162 yards and two touchdowns on just eight carries. Masio Stover had 105 yards with two touchdowns also on eight carries. D’Andre Mack had 105 yards and two touchdowns on just six carries.
After forcing a three-and-out on the opening possession, the Tigers quickly took advantage of the short field. Stover scored from 10 yards out for his first touchdown. Gavin Marsh added the extra point to make it 7-0 with 8:20 left in the first quarter.
Slayton then broke free for a 37-yard touchdown run nearly two minutes later, and Hartselle led 14-0.
The Tiger offense sputtered over the next 11 minutes as Curry tried to hang around. However, after Hartselle was backed up on its own 6-yard line, the Tigers went to work. Slayton ripped off a 24-yard gain. Aldridge connected with Jeston Thompson for a 27-yard strike. Stover rumbled all the way inside the 10-yard line before fumbling, but the Tigers recovered at the Curry 4.
Then Thompson took the handoff on the speed sweep for the 4-yard touchdown. Marsh’s extra point made it 21-0 at the 5:32 mark of the second quarter.
Curry forced a Aldridge to fumble on a sack. Curry’s Lane Oliver picked up the fumble and sprinted 15 yards for the touchdown. He added the extra point to make it 21-7 with 2:42 left before halftime.
The Yellow Jackets then recovered another Hartselle fumble on the ensuing kickoff. In a matter of four plays, the Tigers fumbled or muffed the ball three times.
The Tiger defense stiffened as a sack and an illegal forward pass ended the drive.
Hartselle scored four plays later. Slayton took the handoff from the Curry 25, fumbled the ball around the 5-yard line. Fortunately, Nick Beach pounced on the loose ball in the end zone for the touchdown.
Marsh made the halftime score 28-7.
Slayton made up for his fumble to end the half as he sprinted 57 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the second half to make it 35-7.
Blaze Lawrimore set up the next touchdown by rumbling 14 yards to the 3-yard line. Stover scored his second touchdown two plays later, this time from 3 yards out to make it 42-7.
Mack scored his first touchdown four minutes later on a 12-yard run to make it 48-7 after a missed extra point.
On the next possession, Oliver took the ball away from Mack near the Curry goal line, but Mack made up for the miscue. He sprinted down the sidelines 88 yards for Hartselle’s final touchdown.
Aldridge finished the night six of 11 for 88 yards. Several of the incompletions were dropped passes. Lawrimore finished the night with 29 yards rushing and 22 receiving. Beach, Sidney Steele and Easton Chenault all had catches on offense.
The Tiger defense led by Casey Goodwin, Deacon Aldridge, Jordan Orr and Alec Durand limited Curry to just 119 yards 51 plays.
The Tigers will travel to Kimberly to play Mortimer Jordan at its new school next Friday night while Curry will host.
