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Football: Eagles outlast Hawks in defensive battle
By Justin Thomas, jthomas@starlocalnews.com
Hebron and head football coach Brian Brazil anticipated a dogfight Friday when the Hawks opened their season against state-ranked Abilene.
A dogfight is what they got.
The Hawks and Eagles alternated scores in a defensive-oriented game, but Abilene's final points were on a touchdown giving the squad a 13-10 advantage that proved to be enough for the victory.
"It was about what we expected," Brazil said. "It was a good, hard-fought game. Obviously we had hoped to be on the winning side, we just came up a little short. But we're not here for moral victories even if it is a non-district game. We don't want to play good teams well. We want to beat good teams."
Hebron used its defense to get on the board in the first quarter when Jamal Adams gave the Hawks a 7-0 advantage following a 57-yard interception return for a touchdown. Abilene evened the score later in the second with a 60-yard touchdown pass from Evin Abbe to Keevan Lucas.
In the second half, Hebron regained the lead at 10-7 when Joel Carlos capped off a drive with a 25-yard field goal. But Abilene jumped in front for good in the fourth when running back Marcell Porter scored from 13 yards out. In addition to the botched snap, Hebron missed another field goal in the fourth.
"We had a couple of chances to tie it," Brazil said. "We thought long and hard about going for the touchdown late and trying to get the win but decided on trying a field goal. We have to make those."
Porter finished with 164 yards on 32 rushes for Abilene, while Abbe threw for 260 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
"We actually dropped a couple more interceptions," Brazil said. "But I was real pleased with the defense and the way they bowed up when Abilene was driving. We had some big stops on the goal line and were able to keep them out of the end zone for the most part. The only thing I am disappointed with was a couple of busts we had. A wrong route here or a missed assignment there. And we missed a tackle on their first touchdown run.
"We have to do better, but the effort was there."
Offensively, Dezmond Wortham paced the Hebron attack with 158 yards on 17 attempts. Quarterback Carson Proffitt completed 9-of-18 attempts for 111 yards and one interception.
"Dezmond and the line did a great job," Brazil said, "and Vandy (Parkes) and Braelan (Evans) had a couple of nice runs, too. You just have to credit Abilene. They have eight returners on defense from a team that made the regional quarterfinals last year. They have a good defense."
Brazil was also pleased with Hebron's play on special teams sans the field goal miscue.
Hebron seeks its first win at 7:30 p.m. Friday when it hosts Mansfield Timberview. The Wolves defeated Mansfield Summit in their opener, 27-13.
"They run the triple option, so it's a whole different look," Brazil said. "We're going to have to play assignment football. It's one of those things where it can be ugly at times and then all of the sudden they'll pop a long run. We're going to have to give them different looks so they can't settle in."
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