By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

HURLEY — For the first time in four years, the East Central football team has started off region play at a solid 2-0.

That 2022 season just also happens to be the last time the Hornets qualified for the state playoffs.

Now, as head coach Sam Huff’s squad heads for a big Region 4-5A showdown in Waynesboro Friday night, the Hornets hope that quick start in the region race results in the same postseason destination as it did four years ago, as Huff’s crew hits the home stretch.

Wayne County, also off to a 2-0 start in the league race, hosts East Central in a battle for the top spot in the region race, with the winner almost assured of a state playoff berth and in all likelihood homefield advantage in the opening round of the upcoming class 5A South State playoffs.

This fast region start means that the Hornets have won three-out-of their past four games after a sluggish 0-3 start, and leaves ECHS at 3-4 overall. The War Eagles are also 3-4 overall, and are looking for their third straight win as well after dispatching both Stone 47-28 and Vancleave 41-0 in easy fashion.

Meanwhile, upstart East Central began its climb back from a 1-4 start two weeks ago thanks in large part to the play of senior standout signal-caller Kash Litton.

He led his Hornets on the road to Purvis and came away with a head-turning 55-30 win over Purvis to open region play. All Litton, who is in his first year as the starting quarterback, did was account for a career-high six touchdowns as the Hornets thumped the Tornadoes.

Litton ran for four scores and threw for two more in the decisive win, hooking up with Wyatt Garrard and Kyler Seymour on the touchdown tosses.

In addition to Litton’s 96 yards rushing on 18 carries and four touchdown runs, running back Koen Myers also scored on the ground.

Then, last week, ECHS returned home to knock off Northeast Jones 34-14.

Litton completed 10-of-15 passes for one touchdown for the usual run-happy Hornets, and he also added a rushing score as well and 98 yards on 22 carries on the ground.

Junior running back Tanner Stork stepped up in a big way for the home team as well, running for a game-high 155 yards on 17 attempts, including a 47-yarder.

The tight end Garrard hauled in a scoring catch for the second straight game as well.

Defensively, the Hornets had four different players register double digits in total tackles as they limited the Tigers to one of their lowest scoring outings of the season.

End Adrain Marsailis had 10 totals stops and a game-high three sacks, while middle linebacker Kayden Booty totaled 11 tackles and one sack as the Hornets combined for seven sacks total.

In addition, both linebackers Beau Davis and Myles Coleman recorded 10 total tackles as well in the winning effort.

Davis also had an interception, and Carter Green recovered a fumble while defensive lineman Lucas Smith had two sacks.