MINEOLA — The Athens Hornets clinched no worse than a share of the District 15-3A championship with a 55-20 win over the Mineola Yellowjackets Friday night at Meredith Memorial Stadium.
The Hornets (9-0, 4-0) can clinch the outright championship with a victory over Brownsboro next week at Bruce Field. Athens won its last district championship in 1992. Mineola fell to 4-5 and 1-3.
Athens sophomore Logan Fuller ran for 189 yards to break Kenneth Sessions’ 1976 school record for most rushing yards in a season. Fuller now has 1,322 rushing yards this season, and his four touchdowns Friday night moves him to within three of tying Kendall Sanders’ 2010 record for most touchdowns in a single season (24).
Mineola quarterback Jeremiah Crawford threw a pair of touchdown passes to Casey Gilbreath.
Ladarius Jordan never found the end zone, but did rush for 114 yards for the Hornets on just six carries.
The Hornets opened the scoring midway through the first quarter when Devin Hall, who finished the game with 96 yards and a pair of TDs, scored on 15-yard run. David Cedillo’s PAT made it 7-0.
Mineola made it 7-6 on the next possession, scoring on a 7-yard run by Rhett Self.
That would be as close as the Yellowjackets (4-5, 1-3) would be the rest of the night because on the following kickoff Athens’ Nikell Roberts went 99 yards for a 14-6 lead.
Fuller made it 21-6 with time running out in the quarter on a 53-yard run.
Mineola attempted to climb back in the game, scoring with 8:40 in the second on a 24-yard Crawford to Casey Gilbreath pass. Willie Tinajero’s kick made it 21-13.
The Hornets, however, put together three unanswered TDs stretching across the second and third quarters.
AnthonySanders connected with Chris Jefferson on a 25-yard pass with 5:41 left in the half to make it 28-13.
Athens then scored twice in the third on runs of 4 and 1 yards by Fuller. With Mineola unable to score the Hornets were up 42-13 going into the fourth quarter.
Fuller started the final stanza scoring on a 19-yard run for a 49-13 lead. A 1-yard scoring TD by Hall made it 55-13.
Mineola scored again with 2:39 left in the game on a 25-yard pass from Crawford to Gilbreath. Crawford finished the game 9 of 16 for 124 yards.
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Athens 55, Mineola 20
At Mineola
Athens 21 7 14 13 — 55
Mineola 6 7 0 7 — 20