GAINESVILLE — After last week's offensive explosion, East Hall's defense set out to prove it too could make plays -- and the Vikings did just that on Friday.
Isaiah Jenkins and Austin Brock each picked off Chestatee passes in the first half, while the Vikings offense did its usual damage in a 59-37 win over the War Eagles in Gainesville.
"Those interceptions really gave our defense confidence and showed them that scheme works and that the fundamentals work -- from there we just got better and better," said East Hall coach Bryan Gray, who watched his unit notch some redemption after yielding 72 points in their season-opening loss.
Meanwhile, East Hall's offense remained deadly, going over 50 points for the second straight contest thanks to a combination of quarterback Austin Parker and running back Cambren Harrison -- who rolled his way to 150 yards rushing and 150 yards receiving.
"In all my years I don't think I've ever had a kid do that -- 150 rushing and 150 receiving," Gray said of Harrison's dominant night. "And once he started getting things done in the middle it really opened everything else up in the offense."
Parker finished with over 375 yards passing and hooked up with a number of different receivers for scoring strikes, including Amir Ellison and Tripp Rider. And the Vikings (1-1) needed all they could get after being pushed throughout by the War Eagles' spread attack.
But once East Hall began to pick off passes, it allowed the Vikings to nose in front, 35-21 at the half -- a lead they would not yield.
"We're going into the bye, and there's a lot of young guys that still have to grow up, but they took a big step tonight," Gray said.
East Hall next plays on Sept. 8 against Johnson.
Chestatee will look to bounce back next week at Flowery Branch.
