Hughes Springs had several players step up their performances last Friday night when the Mustangs beat Atlanta and climbed back into the District 7-3A Division I title picture.
None stood out more than senior Collin Cook, who was all over the field, and consistently answered Atlanta’s challenges. That effort earns Cook the Fox Sports Texarkana/Dewey Moore Ford Player of the Week.
Atlanta has just scored the game’s first points early in the second quarter when Cook returned the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown. He then had to line up and kick the PAT.
The Rabbits scored again, and Hughes Springs answered with Cook catching a 2-point PAT. Those two points gave the Mustangs a 15-14 lead at intermission.
After Atlanta regained the lead in the third quarter, Cook cut the Ponies’ deficit with a 30-yard field goal. Seconds later the Rabbs were forced to punt, when a high snap gave Hughes Springs possession at the Atlanta 1. Quarterback Tyson Daigle scored on the next play, and Cook converted the PAT to put the Mustangs back on top, 25-21.
An exchanged of punts would follow, Cook getting off a 54-yarder that set up Atlanta near midfield. Cook’s teammate Nacorey Lee would steal the ball from an Atlanta runner, giving the Mustangs possession at the Rabbs’ 40.
Eight players later Cook caught an 8-yard pass on third-and-7 to the Atlanta 4. Trayvon Kennedy scored on the next play, with Cook adding Hughes Springs’ final point of the game.
Hughes Springs fullback was trucking
Hughes Springs’ junior fullback Kennedy (6-3, 220) is the KPYN/Dewey Moore Ford Player of the Week after scoring a pair of touchdowns and running for 162 yards on 26 carries against Atlanta.
Kennedy carried the ball seven times on the Mustangs’ first touchdown drive, including the final two yards for the six points. He had runs of 19 and 33 yards in the third quarter to set up Cook’s field goal. Kennedy toted the pigskin five times on the final TD drive, scoring from the 4.
Pleasant Grove senior quarterback Ben Harmon is the ESPN Texarkana/Dewey Moore Ford Player of the Week.
Harmon completed 9 of 10 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns in the Hawks’ 48-19 victory over Pittsburg.