UPDATEDue to the threat of severe weather Friday night, all Athens Hornet football games have been moved up one day for safety.
🏈 Varsity: Now Thursday, 7:30 p.m. at Bruce Field
🏈 Freshmen & JV: Wednesday in Rusk — Freshmen at 5 p.m., JV at 6:30 p.m.
🏈 Middle School: Wednesday at Bruce Field, starting 4:30 p.m.
Game Day came early — but Hornet Nation always shows up!
Be there. Be loud. Go Hornets!
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(Post sponsored by Tinsley Title, Holt Wrecker, R&R lawn specialists, Gibson Pharmacy.)
Talking on this week’s Hornet podcast, Coach Zac Harrell said the Hornets are proud of how they battled against No. 1 Carthage, but the focus now is fixing mistakes and staying hungry for more.
No Moral Victories, Just Progress
The Hornets fell just short last Friday in a top-10 matchup at Carthage, but Coach Harrell said Athens proved it belongs among East Texas’ elite.
“We were proud of our kids for going in there and doing what they did, but we weren’t happy that we didn’t win the game because we had a chance to win the game,” said Coach Harrell.
“I think a lot of people were surprised, but I’ll tell you who wasn’t surprised — everybody in this building. We knew if we played well, we were going to have a chance to win the game. And that’s exactly what happened.”
Coach Harrell said the Hornets stood their ground against a team known for both talent and swagger.
“They try to intimidate you. They’ve got all those state championships listed on the field and on the scoreboard, and they play pretty mouthy and celebrate and dance,” he said. “Our kids didn’t care about any of that. I was really proud of the way we fought, but also proud that our kids played with a lot of class.”
He said the game was another marker of how far Athens football has come since his arrival seven years ago.
“When we came here, our goal was to put Athens football right up there with the best programs in East Texas, with the Carthages, with the Gilmers,” Coach Harrell said. “It’s taken a little longer than we wanted to, but we think we’re close. That’s due to the kids who have bought in and the coaches who’ve stayed consistent through the dark days.”
Depth and Discipline
Athens continued to spread the ball around offensively, with five players catching touchdown passes and nine different Hornets touching the ball.
“We told them going into the week we’d have opportunities to make plays down the field,” Harrell said. “Their scheme tries not to let you get behind them, but our guys made plays, one-on-one catches, and a lot of different guys contributed.”
He said that balance comes from players embracing their roles.
“You may be thrown 15 balls, you may be thrown three, but when you get those opportunities, you have to make the most of them,” he said. “You can’t get caught up in how many times you get the ball. What matters is that we’re putting the ball in the end zone consistently.”
Coach Harrell said that same unselfish attitude shows in their composure.
“When you get personal fouls or start responding, you’re making it about yourself,” he said. “Our guys didn’t do that. They make it about the team.”
“This doesn’t just happen because we decided in August we were going to start working hard,” Coach Harrell said. “You’ve given yourself this opportunity because of what you’ve done for six years; in the summers, in the spring, showing up every day even when you don’t feel 100 percent.”
Scouting Rusk
The Hornets (5-2, 1-1 in district) return home Friday night to face Rusk (1-6, 1-1), a young team with a new coaching staff and a mix of offensive looks.
“They’ve played four different kids at quarterback,” Coach Harrell said. “Last week against Brownsboro they went under center, and I expect them to stay with that offense and try to control the ball and shorten the game.”
Defensively, Coach Harrell said the Eagles base out of a four-man front and have been experimenting in coverage.
“They played more of a Tampa 2 look against Brownsboro with super-high safeties and the middle linebacker getting good depth over the middle,” he said. “They’re playing hard. Their head coach is a defensive guy, and their defensive line plays with a lot of energy.”
Rusk’s roster includes 14 freshmen and sophomores, but Harrell said Athens can’t take anything for granted.
“They had a chance to beat Kaufman in the fourth quarter,” he said. “Kaufman beat us. Anybody can beat anybody. It’s about us playing our best game.”
Keys to Victory
Word of the Week: Hungry -- Coach Harrell said the Hornets must keep the same fire they showed last week and continue improving every day.
“We have to remain hungry,” he said. “When you’re starving, you’ll do anything to get food. People work harder when they’re hungry. We have to remain hungry and can’t drop our level of play.”
* Work harder, play harder, focus better — “Do it all week, not just on Friday night.”
* Dominate all three phases — “We haven’t put it all together yet.”
* Stop the run — Force Rusk to throw and get them behind the sticks.
* Zero mental penalties — “We had seven on defense last week, and six were mental. We can’t waste opportunities.”
* Elite effort from receivers on run plays — “They’re playing hard, but we want to be dominant and physical.”
