Moore Power: Sophomore’s Long Touchdowns Pace Hillgrove Against Archrival McEachern

POWDER SPRINGS — Hillgrove running back Jaiden Moore overpowered McEachern and said he plans to do the same next week in a region title showdown.

The sophomore scored three touchdowns Friday night, helping the Hawks to a 30-23 victory at Walter Cantrell Stadium.

The win set Hillgrove (8-0, 5-0) up a meeting for the Region 3AAAAAA title next week at Harrison.

“It’s just another game,” Moore said. “I’m going to do the same. I’m going to have, like, five (touchdowns).”

Moore’s 96-yard touchdown rush in the fourth put the game away and wrote his name in the annals of the “Battle Down in Powder Town,” as the annual rivalry of Powder Springs neighbors has become known.

Moore had been the Hawks’ second or third choice to carry the ball this season, but he was pressed into action after Caleb Walters hurt his ankle in the Oct. 11 victory over Campbell.

Moore finished with 239 yards on 13 carries.

“We knew he had some spurt and some things worked out that he had a chance to showcase his talents,” Hillgrove coach Justin DeShon said. “Incredible, incredible sophomore.”

Still, the Hawks needed their defense to stand tall. Hillgrove had four quarterback sacks, including a decisive takedown on a fourth down with McEachern (4-4, 3-2) driving in the final minute.

Hillgrove also held McEachern to two touchdowns despite six trips inside the Hawks 20-yard line.

The Indians drove as far as the Hillgrove 38-yard line when quarterback Calvin Pittman Jr. was brought down for a 4-yard loss to seal Hillgrove’s win.

McEachern kicker Jonathan Rodriguez booted field goals of 29 and 35 yards on the Indians’ first two possessions. Hillgrove answered with a five-play, 80-yard drive capped by Moore’s 51-yard touchdown run.

The Indians reclaimed the lead with a 10-play drive that ended with a 36-yard Rodriguez field goal, but Hillgrove went 80 yards in five plays, including Moore’s 67-yard touchdown run with just over 2 minutes remaining before halftime.

McEachern answered with its own 80-yard jaunt. Pittman was 8-of-9 passing on the drive, including a 10-yard touchdown pass to Zavion Harris 19 seconds before halftime.

Rodriguez’s point-after kick set the Indians’ lead at 16-14 at the break.

Hillgrove scored on the first drive of the second half, moving 12 plays before settling for a 20-yard Carter Genchi field goal.

The Hawks defense forced a punt deep in McEachern territory on the next drive and a botched snap led to a fumble that Isaac Balch recovered in the end zone for a touchdown.

“We actually took our returner off the field for that play because we just wanted the ball at the 40 or the 50,” DeShon said. “And the one thing we did do is put two scoop-and-score guys in. and they had rolled their first couple of kicks back there, and we were in the right spot at the right time.”

McEachern got the ball back and moved 76 yards in 11 plays, but Jayreon Campbell was stopped for no gain on a fourth-and-2.

Two plays later, Moore broke free for his third touchdown of the night and a 30-16 Hillgrove lead.

“I was just running,” Moore said. “I saw the hole, I hit it and I started running.”

But McEachern wasn’t done. The Indians covered 80 yards in 15 plays, converting two fourth downs, with a 1-yard Campbell touchdown making it a one-score game with 3:31 to play.

The Indians’ defense held Moore to 6 yards on three attempts in the next drive, but a final McEachern possession fell short when Pittman was sacked on fourth-and-21 at the Hillgrove 38.

DeShon called it a victory for the Hillgrove program and the community.

“We’ve been on this field the last couple of years overmatched and we knew it,” he said. “Just trying to get the right people in our program — we’ve done that and this is what Hillgrove is all about.

“This community’s rockin’ and rollin’ tonight.”

Hillgrove avenged a 38-0 loss to McEachern from last October.

After three consecutive eight-loss seasons, the Hawks are guaranteed a home game in the state playoffs, but they can assure themselves a No. 1 seed by winning at Harrison (7-1, 5-0) next week.

“These kids, from Mountain View in Game 1 — we handle adversity well,” DeShon said. “If you’re still a part of our program after the last three years, you know how to handle adversity.”

Pittman led the Indians with 24-of-38 passing for 285 yards.

McEachern visits winless South Cobb next week.