Vina head coach Luke Childers talks to quarterback Tyler Renfrow during Friday’s game. Photo by Bart Moss.

By Bart Moss

For the FCT

Going up against perennial region power Hackleburg is no easy task.

Thursday night the Vina Red Devils struggled defensively with the big plays, and Hackleburg ran on 21 offensive plays in route to the 48-20 win.

Vina found some positive signs offensively. They were able to move the ball against the Panthers with some sustained drives. They answered Hackleburg’s first touchdown with a score of their own. They also didn’t give up and scored two late touchdowns.

The Red Devils ran the ball 51 times for 166 yards on the night.

Hackleburg got the game’s first points on the first offensive play of the game when Kristian Jones darted 60 yards for the touchdown to make the score 7-0.

Vina answered by marching 43 yards in 14 plays eating up close to nine minutes of the first quarter clock. The Red Devils scored on a quarterback sneak by Tyler Renfrow with 2:53 to go in the first quarter to make the score 7-6 Hackleburg.

The excitement was short lived, however. Just like their previous drive, Hackleburg scored on a long run by Jones on the first play of the series. This time Jones sprinted 45 yards to the endzone for the touchdown to make the score 14-6.

The Panthers would score again with 10:25 to go in the first half on a 10-yard pass from Renfrow to Matt Harper to make the score 20-6 Hackleburg.

Harper hit Evan Crowe for a 27-yard touchdown pass with 4:47 to go in the half to extend Hackleburg’s lead to 28-6.

On the last play of the first half, Harper found a wide open Evan Moore for a 50-yard touchdown pass to give the Panthers a 34-6 halftime lead.

Hackleburg added two more scores in the third quarter. The first score was a 34-yard interception return for a touchdown by Court Stidham to give Hackleburg a 41-6 lead. Hackleburg’s final score of the game came late in the third quarter on a 24-yard run by Crowe to make the score 48-6

Vina got their two remaining touchdowns in the fourth quarter. The Red Devils scored on a five-play, 73-yard drive. A 44-yard pass from Renfrow to William Upton set up the score. Renfrow kept it himself and scored from four yards out to make the score 48-14.

The Red Devils added their final score late in the fourth quarter when Bradley Duncan scored from 11 yards out.

The win clinched a playoff spot for the Hackleburg Panthers.