DIBOLL — In the final game of the season for both teams here Friday night the Rusk Eagles rushed for 352 yards and used a 28-point second quarter to take control of the contest and knock off the Diboll Lumberjacks, 41-31.
The Lumberjacks jumped out to an early lead, scoring the first 10 points of the game.
Joel Andrews/The Lufkin Daily News |
Diboll's Kamran McCollum is brought down by Rusk's Montrell Sessions during second quarter play at Lumberjack Stadium Friday night.
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Quarterback Kamran McCollum got the 'Jacks on the board with a 1-yard run and Cody Stifle added a 25-yard field goal later in the first quarter to put Diboll in front 10-0.
Rusk caught a break on its first score. Running back Lance Dement fumbled near the Diboll goal line and Eagles' offensive lineman John Trotter recovered in the end zone to pull the Eagles within three, 10-7.
Rusk took the lead just two minutes later, scoring on a 19-yard run by Chasden Bennett to go up 14-10.
Later in the quarter Montrell Sessions broke away for a 69-yard touchdown run to make it 21-10.
Diboll's Terrance Taylor got his team right back in the game, returning the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a score to cut the deficit to 21-17.
Rusk connected on a 51-yard pass from Trey Thrash to Michael Katon on the last play of the half to push the lead back to 11, 28-17 at intermission.
Thrash and Katon connected for another score in the third period, this time on an 8-yard pass play to make it 34-17.
Diboll cut into the lead late in the third period, scoring on a 6-yard run by McCollum to make it 34-23.
Rusk put the game away early in the fourth with Dement scoring on a 49-yard run to up to the score to 41-23.
The 'Jacks got a late score with McCollum scoring for the third time of the night, this time on a 2-yard run. McCollum threw a pass to Christian Lovelady for the two-point conversion to make the final 41-31.
Diboll finished the season at 2-8 overall and 1-4 in district, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2002.
Rusk ended its season at 5-5 overall and 2-3 in district.
