Huskies rout Huffman on homecoming
TRUSSVILLE — Hewitt-Trussville High School bounced back on Friday night.
A week after suffering its first loss, the sixth-ranked Huskies (5-1) stormed past visiting Huffman with five first-quarter touchdowns.
“We obviously didn’t like the way we played last week at all, so I told our guys all week, ‘How we respond will say a lot about how the rest of the season is going to go,’” said Hewitt head coach Josh Floyd. “It was a fun night tonight.”
If Friday night is, indeed, an indication of the weeks ahead, Floyd’s got a lot to look forward to. Cade Carruth fired three touchdown passes, James Hammonds ran in two more, the Huskies’ defense forced six first-half punts and the home team cleared Huffman 60-19 to cap off homecoming week in Trussville.
“We took care of business early and that’s something we challenged them on,” said Floyd.
The Huskies are now 24-18 all-time against Huffman. Friday night’s result represents the Vikings’ fifth straight loss after starting 1-0.
Hewitt scored the game’s first 53 points before intermission. Hammonds had two 13-yard touchdown runs in the first half, while Carruth threw it in from 32 (Omari Kelly), 20 (Ryan Shoop) and 67 (Cayson Zackery) yards out — all before the break.
In barely over one quarter of action, Carruth finished 8-of-11 for 188 yards and two scores. Hammonds took his six carries 69 yards. Kelly ended his evening with two grabs for 47 yards, including a 32-yard catch-and-run down the home sideline early in the first.
Connor Thomas also converted a second-and-32 with a 62-yard scoring run before Peyton Floyd finished up the half with a 28-yard strike to Jordan McCants, who fought the ball away from a Huffman defensive back in the end zone for a 53-0 advantage late in the second quarter.
The Vikings got on the board with 14 seconds remaining in the half when Mekail Alexander-Johnson found Shamaur Gatson from 15 yards out, converting a fourth-and-10 and rounding out an eight-play drive.
Huffman, facing the Huskies’ second unit, managed two more scores in the second half thanks to a 7-yard run from Makhi Hughes and a 27-yard pass from Alexander-Johnson to Naeem Offord. Hughes went for 98 yards on 18 carries while Alexander-Johnson completed 13-of-26 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns in the loss. His favorite target was Offord, who pulled in five receptions for 64 yards.
In extended action, Hewitt-Trussville sophomore Peyton Floyd went 8-of-9 through the air for 73 yards and two scores. He also ran for another 78 yards.
“We were able to get some (backup) guys in, even in the first half and that provides some great experience,” said Josh Floyd. “There’s nothing like Friday night experience.”
Hewitt-Trussville returns to Class 7A, Region 3 play next week with a trip to second-ranked Hoover.
“Obviously, that’ll be a big one next week,” said Floyd. “Hoover is a hard team to beat at the Met. They always play really well over there and we’re going to have to execute and have a great week of practice to have a chance.”