Cleburne sails past South Hills as junior quarterback accounts for six touchdowns

Fort Worth South Hills held a 6-0 lead after the first quarter, but the Cleburne Yellow Jackets dominated the rest of the way en route to a 49-6 victory Thursday night at Clark Stadium in the football season opener for both teams.

Cleburne junior quarterback Gunner Hammond accounted for six touchdowns as the Jackets put up a pair of 21-point quarters in the second and third.

After a slow start by the Cleburne offense, the Jackets took off in the second quarter to build a 21-6 halftime lead as Hammond tossed a 7-yard touchdown to tight end Ethan Steck, scored on a 1-yard run, and threw a screen pass to running back Tyler Forsythe for a 26-yard touchdown.

Cleburne outgained South Hills, 244-49, in total yards in the first half.

In the third quarter, Cleburne took the opening kickoff right down the field in a little under 3 minutes, capped by a 26-yard touchdown pass from Hammond to Isaak Cunningham.

Less than 2 minutes later, Cleburne made it 35-6 on an 8-yard scoring strike from Hammond to Steck.

Hammond capped the third-quarter scoring with a 2-yard touchdown run. And Forsythe added a 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth to round out the scoring.

Hammond was 16-of-28 passing for 227 yards to go along with 71 rushing yards on 14 carries. Cleburne running back Cleo Chandler had 68 rushing yards on 11 carries and 43 receiving yards on two catches. Steck’s four catches for 54 yards and two scores led the Jackets receivers.

Cleburne outgained South Hills in total yards for the game, 461-77, and in first downs, 26-5.

The Jackets (1-0) host Saginaw Chisholm Trail in Week 2 while South Hills faces Wyatt.

For extensive coverage of high school football check out DFWVarsity.com and Sunday’s print edition.

This story was originally published August 29, 2019 at 10:21 PM.