By Gary Lloyd
For The Tribune
For much of the first half at Jack Wood Stadium, Hewitt-Trussville was in control.
All Clay-Chalkville needed was the third quarter.
The Class 6A second-ranked Cougars scored 30 points in the third quarter and cruised to a 51-10 drubbing of the Huskies in the season opener.
Down 10-7 at halftime, Clay-Chalkville opened the second half with a four-play drive capped by an 18-yard touchdown run by junior running back Kenterrius Gray
. On the next Clay-Chalkville drive, junior quarterback Hayden Moore connected with senior wide receiver DeAndre Woods for a 26-yard score, giving the Cougars a 21-10 advantage.
The Cougars went up 23-10 one minute later on a botched Hewitt-Trussville snap for a safety.
Clay (1-0) got on the board just one minute later when Moore scored on a 4-yard keeper. With 40 seconds remaining in the third, Moore connected with junior wideout Brian Clark in the back corner of the end zone for a 25-yard score, giving the Cougars a 37-10 lead.
The final two touchdowns for Clay-Chalkville were on runs of 53 and 39 yards by junior running back Stephone Sheffield.
Hewitt-Trussville took a 3-0 lead in the first quarter on a Griffin Wright 26-yard field goal. Midway through the second quarter, senior quarterback Sam Miller hit senior wide receiver DeShawn Ward with a 65-yard bomb down the near sideline for a touchdown. Moore rushed for a 3-yard score to close the gap to 10-7 by halftime.
Moore completed 7-of-11 passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns. He rushed 10 times for 89 yards and two scores. Sheffield had a breakout game, rushing nine times for 169 yards and two touchdowns. In addition to his touchdown runs of 53 and 39 yards, he had a 46-yard carry in the first half.
Gray rushed five times for 52 yards and a score. Woods caught three passes for 57 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively for the Cougars, senior linebacker Taylor Daniels had an interception. Fellow senior linebacker Brandon Fuller had a sack and one tackle for loss.
For the Huskies (0-1), Miller completed 6-of-15 passes for 93 yards. He threw one touchdown and was intercepted once. Ward caught two passes for 75 yards and a score.
Senior running back Kyle Thomas led the Huskies’ ground game, carrying seven times for 56 yards. Fellow senior running back Dakota Harwell did not play one offensive snap after taking a big hit on the opening kickoff.
The Cougars travel to Oxford on Friday for a 7 p.m. game. The Huskies host Vestavia Hills on Friday at 7 p.m.