Athens 48, Krum 42 OT

November 21, 2025

Hanby Stadium, Mesquite

Undefeated Krum actually entered this 4A-Division II Area Round playoff game as a slight underdog against a surging Athens squad that took top-ranked Carthage to the wire before falling late in district play. Most expected this one to be a shootout and it lived up to the hype on a chilly Friday night in Mesquite as touchdowns were scored on 12 of the first 14 drives of the game, including all eight drives in the first half.

Krum opened the game with a time-consuming drive that took nearly half the first quarter and was capped off by a three-yard touchdown run from Will Holland to go up 6-0 after Athens blocked the PAT. Krum marched 14 plays and picked up five first downs on the series. Krum tried an onside kick on the ensuing kick, but Athens was able to get on the loose ball.

Athens and their high-powered offense needed little more than one minute to answer as WR E’Manuel Moore caught an inside screen pass from QB David Richardson and he went 26-yards for the score to put the Hornets up 7-6 with 4:35 left in the first quarter. Moore had three receptions on that drive as he showed early why he had been Richardson’s top target all season.

Krum got the ball back and on the first play of the second quarter QB Elijah Guerrero scored from two yards out; after Guerrero scored on the two-point PAT, Krum held a 14-7 lead with 11:55 left in the second quarter.

The Hornets didn’t waste much time answering as Richardson and Moore connected once again, this time on an 11-yard scoring pass to tie the game at 14-14 with 9:25 left in the second quarter.

Krum would make it five possessions and five touchdowns in the game as the Bobcats offensive line continued to dominate the smaller Athens defense with a scoring drive as RB Carter Hollingshead scored from 16 yards out to put KHS up 21-14. Athens went 6-for-6 on first half drives as Richardson scored on a three yard run and we were back tied, this time at 21-21 with 3:17 left in the first half.

Krum needed just one play to answer on the next drive as Holland found the end zone for the second time in the first half, this time from 49-yards out to put the Bobcats back up 28-21. The eighth drive of the first half resulted in the eighth touchdown of the first half as Athens would tie the game up at 28-28 with 10 seconds left in the first half as part-time RB, full-time DL Ja’Bory Taylor barrelled in from a yard out on 4th-and-goal to square things up in a wild first-half.

The defenses finally made an appearance in the third quarter as Athens and Krum both punted on the opening drives of the second half. Athens grabbed a 35-28 lead on their second series of the third quarter when QB Richardson showed off the wheels with a 22-yard touchdown run to put the Hornets back on top.

Krum answered with 4:20 left in the third quarter when Holland scored his third touchdown of the game, this time from 15 yards out to tie the game at 35-35. The see-saw affair continued on the next drive with Richardson accounting for his fifth touchdown of the night on a 24-yard touchdown pass to Moore - their third connection of the night - to put AHS up 42-35 with 1:58 left in the third quarter.

Krum went on another time-consuming drive on the next series, taking nearly eight minutes off the clock, but the Bobcats capitalized on 4th-and-goal from the 14 yard-line as QB Elijah Guerrero found TE Abdul Dosunmu wide open in the back corner of the end zone to tie the game at 42-42 with 6:16 left in the game.

Athens drove to the Krum 27-yard line on the next series, but this time the Krum defense was up to the task stopping the Hornets on downs to get the ball back to their offense with 3:17 left in the game with a chance to win it.

Krum picked up a couple of first downs, one via penalty, but the Bobcats could only move as far as the Athens 48-yard line before a Hail Mary pass was incomplete to send the game to overtime at 42-42.

Krum opened the overtime period with the ball, but on second down from the 22-yard line disaster struck as the Krum back fumbled and Athens senior LB Eli Carnes quickly fell on the ball giving Athens the ball with a chance to win it.

Coach Zac Harrell and his offense wasted no time ending things as on the first play of the drive Richardson and Moore connected once again for a 25-yard touchdown pass on a slant-and-go to win the game for the Hornets at 48-42. It was Richardson and Moore’s fourth touchdown connection of the evening.

Athens went on to advance to the regional finals where they’d fall to eventual state champion Carthage, while Krum’s season ended at 10-1.