E.A. Sports Today

Tucker bites ‘Dogs

Ohatchee running back has big game against Ashville for second year in a row, goes over 1,000 yards rushing for season, Indians 6-0

By East Alabama Sports Today

OHATCHEE – The Ohatchee Indians continue to do things in a big way.

Austin Tucker rushed for 209 yards and scored five touchdowns as the eighth-ranked 3A Indians ran over Ashville 54-20 for their sixth straight win. They have scored at least 40 points in five of their six games this season and Friday marked their third game of 50 or more.

Tucker, who ran for 322 yards and five touchdowns against the Bulldogs last year, scored on runs on 9, 47, 11 and 18 yards and caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Taylor Eubanks. He went over 1,000 yards rushing for the season in the game (1,053 with 16 rushing touchdowns).

“Tucker had a great night for the second year in a row,” Ohatchee coach Scott Martin said.

The Indians, 6-0 for the first time since 2000, haven’t won six games in a season since 2003, when they last made the playoffs (6-5). They have already scored more points than they did all last season.

They led 34-7 at halftime. Jessie Sellers, Eubanks and Kevin Williamson combined for 171 yards rushing on 13 combined carries.

“We weren’t sharp, but we played hard,” Martin said. “We made enough big plays to put the game away early, which allowed our starters some much needed rest.”

The Indians return to action next week against Wellborn, a team they have beaten only once in 14 meetings. Wellborn coach Jeff Smith is a former Ohatchee head coach, winning 41 games there – as many as the six coaches that followed him combined.

Ohatchee 54, Ashville 20

Ashville 7 0 0 13 — 20
Ohatchee 14 20 14 6 — 54

O – Austin Tucker 9 run (Gage Harrell kick)
O – Austin Tucker 47 run (Gage Harrell kick)
A – Landon Cornutt 26 run (Arnold Gutierrez kick)
O – Austin Tucker 11 run (Gage Harrell kick)
O – Taylor Eubanks 19 run (kick failed)
O – Austin Tucker 20 pass from Taylor Eubanks (Gage Harrell kick)
O – Austin Tucker 18 run (Gage Harrell kick)
O – Keyshawn Goble 3 run (Gage Harrell kick)
A – Hunter Huckbay 20 pass from Landon Cornutt (kick failed)
O – Chase Widgeon 90 kickoff return (kick failed)
A – Nathan Phillips 11 run (Hunter Huckbay kick)

Team stats Ash Ohat
First downs 14 17
Rushes-yds 51-218 38-400
Passing 5-10-0 2-5-1
Passing yds 33 26
Fumbles-lost 2-2 1-1
Punts-avg 5-36.6 1-38.0
Penalties-yds 4-40 8-50

On the cover: Ohatchee’s Austin Tucker (3) breaks from the pack in last week’s game at Weaver. (Photo by B.J. Franklin/GungHo Photos)

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