5StarPreps Caleb Jarreau reports on Halls-Carter Thursday matchup.
Halls head coach Brent Hughes couldn’t hide his emotion.
His defense had dominated Carter on Thursday night, holding the Hornets scoreless in the first half and giving up just 37 yards on the ground. So, when Carson Pearce came down with the game-sealing interception late in the fourth, the defensive-minded head coach got his celebration in.
The Red Devils forced five turnovers altogether to defeat Carter, 35-19, en route to a third consecutive victory this season.
“That’s my baby,” Hughes said of his defense. “That’s what, that’s what we do. We want to play good defense, and we want to do great things. So, just super proud of kids being in position and making plays. That’s all you can ask.”
The defensive performance paired with another standout performance from quarterback Amari Lethgo spelled success for Halls (4-1) against the Hornets (3-2).
In a game that many thought would be a showcase of two explosive offenses, the first points didn’t come until the 1-minute, 16-second mark in the first quarter when Lethgo hit Landon Vest on a 3-yard pass.
The second score of the game turned out to be a scoop-and-score from Halls’ Tres Scates, extending the lead to 14-0 with 10:41 left in the first half.
“They’re gut-wrenching for the other team and it makes them doubt themselves,” Hughes said. “For us, it’s just playing fast and making the play, playing fast and making the play. I challenged our kids before the game. I said, ‘The team that makes the fewest mistakes, the team that wins the turnover battle and the team that’s tough between the whistles will win.’ I felt like our team won all three phases.”
Halls executed an onside kick after the touchdown but couldn’t come away with points on the extra possession.
Hughes felt the risk was willing to take given how well the defense was playing.
An interception from Nathan Martin with 3:14 left in the second quarter put the Red Devils’ offense in plus-territory, and Lethgo wasted no time in capitalizing on the Carter mistake.
The junior tossed a 19-yard strike to Drew Ross to make it a 21-0 game. Lethgo finished the night with 262 yards on 19-of-31 passing to go with three touchdowns through the air.
His season totals now sit at 1,087 yards and 12 touchdowns.
”I don’t want to put the cart before the horse, but for me, he’s the best high school quarterback that Halls has had in my opinion,” Hughes said. “And I think he displays it every week, how he handles himself, how humble he is, how hard he works. “He is just a special talent.”
Another interception from Brody Rogers gave Halls one more possession before halftime, and it made the most of the turnover. After driving down the field, Lethgo threw a ball at the goal line that got tipped, before he caught the deflection and reached for the endzone.
Lethgo fumbled, and freshman offensive lineman Noah Partin fell on the ball for the touchdown.
”I bet that was a cool experience for him, having a touchdown on his record,” Lethgo said.
The circus play sent the Red Devils to halftime with a 28-0 lead and all of the momentum. Halls had to punt on its first possession of the second half, but forced a three-and-out to take over again.
Six plays and 83 yards later, Lethgo found Nathan Martin for a 24-yard touchdown. Lethgo’s offensive line gave him plenty of time to find Martin, something that was harder to come by through the first few weeks of the season.
The quarterback can see the unit improving in front of his eyes.
“It’s been challenging, but we’re starting to click, we’re starting to get it,” Lethgo said. “We’re having more confidence in each other, me throwing the ball, them blocking, things like that. We’re getting there.”
“I’ve seen ’em grow a lot. They’ve been working in the weight room all spring … and they came a long way from where they started,” said running back Marcus Moore, who ended the night with 74 yards on 14 carries.
The Red Devils’ offense didn’t score again, and Carter mustered a response. Brody Sparks hit Gabe Dennis for a pair of touchdowns and Jody Scruggs ran one in, but it was too late for the Hornets to claw back. Sparks ended his night with 300 yards on 20-of-30 passing with two interceptions.
Moore and the offensive line chewed clock following the Pearce interception, ending the televised game in victory formation. The Red Devils enter region play with four wins, an offensive line coming into its own and a defense that has established itself as a force to be reckoned with.
“Each week you got to take it and get better,” Hughes said. “The real game starts now. Region play starts. Nobody feels sorry for you. Nobody is claiming you the champion in the first five games. We got to go down Emory Road and play Powell who’s a tremendous opponent. If we want to do something, then we got to get ready for it.”
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