Hornets run past Bryan Rudder
Oct. 8—BRYAN — Huntsville hit the road for their fifth time this season and for the first time, they won.
The Hornets' running game took off and their defense exploded for a 24-10 win over Bryan Rudder at Merrill Green Stadium.
Huntsville's trio of runners in Jawann Giddens, Braylon Phelps and Keiron Lee erupted for 326 yards and three scores in the game.
"When you break a big play on the first game that's a momentum shifter," Huntsville head coach Rodney Southern said. "We practiced Wednesday having the ball on the 40-yard line and having a first down. To be able to do that changed momentum in a game."
"It was pretty big," Giddens said after his two-touchdown performance. "That's what we are supposed to do. We have to have big games in the passing game or the run game. Whatever it is, we have to execute."
The Hornets did just that. Rudder would open the game with the ball and the Hornet defense set the tone of the game early. Huntsville held the Rangers to four yards on the opening drive forcing a punt, the next play was a Hornet touchdown.
Huntsville's newfound running back in Phelps took off down the field for a 68-yard touchdown that opened the scoring for the Hornets.
The Hornets' defense would force two straight punts to open the game before the Rangers kicked a field goal for their first points of the game.
Rudder wouldn't go away easily as they were able to piece together an eight-play drive that ended with a touchdown giving the Rangers a 10-7 lead, but the Hornets' defense would shut them down.
"It was a big factor in the game," Huntsville's sophomore defensive end Zach Moss said. "It changed the mood of the game and made us better."
The Hornets' defense would force five punts in the game and pitched a second-half shut out to hold the Rangers at 10 points in the game. Moss would finish the game with two sacks in the game.
Huntsville's offense capitalized on the big plays. The Hornets' first two scores came off a big play. Both Phelps and Giddens had a rush over 55 yards for the score as the Hornets took a 14-10 lead into the half.
That wasn't it for the Hornets. Giddens would throw an interception to Rudders' Denim Preston giving the Rangers the ball at their own 7. But unable to capitalize on the momentum, they were punting the ball back to the Hornets.
After the interception, the Hornets would kick a field goal to take a 17-10 lead before Phelps would break another big gain of 43 yards leading to Giddens running in for a two-yard touchdown.
"I thought we played the best game we've played to this point," Southern said. "I knew if we were patient Braylon would figure it out. I thought we tackled better and we lost containment and we have to fix that. Going into an open week we are in a good position."
Now, the Hornets will head into their bye week on a winning streak. Huntsville defeated Lamar Consolidated last week and the win tonight moves them to 2-1 in district 10 5A, DII play.
After the bye week, the Hornets will have a bout against Montgomery Lake Creek who is currently at the top of the district standings.
"We don't have school Monday so we are giving them Monday off," Southern said. "We are gonna practice Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Our staff will watch out for the next two opponents and we have to get ready for a run of three games."
