By MAURICE SINGLETON/Sports Writer

LYMAN — Harrison Central’s defense held Hancock scoreless in the first half, but the Red Rebels’ offense matched the Hawks’ second half offensive output on their way to a 31-14 win in non-district play on Friday.

Harrison Central took a 17-0 lead going into halftime on two first-quarter touchdown passes from sophomore Caleb Russell, the first a 31-yard toss to sophomore Ke’Adrian Brown and the second a 28-yarder to senior Zahkarri McGlothin.

McGlothin would also rush for 69 yards in the first half on seven carries, but the senior speedster would save his best stuff for the second half. After Hancock scored their second touchdown, he returned the ensuing kickoff back 91 yards for a touchdown. A holding call nullified the score, giving him 52 yards on the return to the Hancock 39-yard line. He would then cap the 8-play drive with stiff arm play around the left side for an 18-yard score to give the Red Rebels a 24-14 lead midway through the fourth quarter.

“Man, he’s a special player,” said Harrison Central coach Nekemia Rich. “It’s great to have a guy like that. We’ve got to improve. I looked up one time and counted seven sophomores out there. We’ve just got to have some guys come along with him.”

One of those sophomores on the field was Russell, who showed a great deal of poise, particularly on a fourth down play in the drive that led to McGlothin’s 18-yard carry for the score. Facing fourth-and-9 for a first down, he dropped back, moved to the right and Russell connected with sophomore Richie Ashley for a 20-yard completion.

“We just asked him to grow up fast,” said Rich. “We knew that he was going to be put in this position, and we just told him that he’s not a sophomore and that he’s got to play bigger than his grade and his age say.”

Hancock made some adjustments at halftime and moved the ball with ease as quarterback Kaison Koenen got going in the third quarter. The senior signal caller made plays with his arms and his legs.

The Red Rebels were threatening to pile on some more points late in the third quarter when they fumbled the ball away at the Hancock 2-yard line. From there Keonen went to work, leading a 98-yard, 19-play drive that ended with Koenen carrying for a 3-yard score as the third-quarter clock expired. He would complete two passes on the drive for 12 and 17 yards, and he would also carry four times for yardage gains of 4, 4, 13, and the 3-yard scoring carry.

“He was trying to take it on his shoulders and do his thing,” said Hancock coach Michael King. “And I let him loose.”

The Hawks started the fourth quarter down 17-7, as they held the Red Rebels scoreless in the third quarter. After they successfully recovered the onside kick following the score, they failed to pick up a first down. But the Red Rebels made a crucial error on their second snap of their ensuing possession, the Hawks recovered a Red Rebels fumble 23 yards from the goal line. Three plays later, the Hawks seemed to have all the momentum as sophomore Coleton Hopgood carried for the score from 13 yards out to get within 3 of the Red Rebels at 17-14.

But that was as close as it would get, as McGlothin took over for the Red Rebels, first returning the kickoff for 52 yards, then scoring a 96-yard carry from scrimmage with just under three minutes remaining in the game to close out the game’s scoring.

McGlothin would finish the game with 252 rushing yards, two touchdowns on the ground and a reception for a touchdown.

Harrison Central improves to 1-1 on the season and travels to Heidelberg next Friday. Hancock is 0-2 and hosts Poplarville next Friday.