Photo by Max Gallagher

Sept. 15. By Ryan Moxon. Hough’s defense has been a key to its season thus far, and it produced a pivotal play Friday night to move to 4-0 with a 28-14 win over Mooresville.

Senior cornerback Samari Matthews returned an interception for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to give Hough its first lead of the game, 21-14, and later recovered a fumble deep in Mooresville territory that set up the final touchdown in a 28-14 victory over the No. 10 Blue Devils.

Penalties continued to be an issue for the top-ranked 8A Huskies, who were flagged 14 times for 165 yards, including two unsportsmanlike penalties on the same play and multiple pass interference calls.

Mooresville scored on its first possession of the game with a 13-yard rushing touchdown by Ja’darius McCombs, who carried much of the Blue Devils’ offense in the first half but only finished with 62 rushing yards.

Hough answered on the next possession with an 80-yard rushing touchdown by junior quarterback Ethan Royal, his first of two on the night. Mooresville ended the second quarter with a rushing touchdown by quarterback Brody Norman.

The Matthews pick-six in the third quarter and a 14-yard rushing touchdown by senior running back Marvin Reed built a 14-point Hough lead. Mooresville added a late touchdown in the fourth, but the Huskies sealed the win.

Hough faces an eastern North Carolina state powerhouse, New Bern, on Friday. Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Hough High School.