STORY BY TIM SCHNETTLER
HOUSTON – Another night and another blowout for the Navasota Rattlers. This time it was the Yates Lion who had no answer for the Rattlers? high-powered offense that rolled to 49 points in the first half en route to a 66-13 victory at Herman A. Barnett Stadium on Friday.
As he did in the Rattlers? first game of the season, quarterback Shelton Eppler threw for six touchdowns in the first half. Eppler finished the night 17-of-25 for 358 yards and six passing touchdowns.
Navasota (2-0) finished the night with 513 total yards including 358 through the air. Defensively they held the Lions to 207 total yards.
?I thought we came out in the first half and did a great job,? Rattler head coach Lee Fedora said. ?Overall when you win that way you have to be proud of your kids. There are still a lot of things we can get corrected.?
Eppler spread the wealth as four different Rattlers were on the receiving end of his touchdown tosses. Tren?Davion Dickson, who last week had three touchdown receptions in the first half, matched that number again.
In addition to Dickson, Eppler also connectd with Sammy Blair (26 yards), Derrion Randle (82 yards) and Jerbrell Lipscomb (9 yards). Randle, who rushed for 77 yards on 10 carries, also added a 1-yard scoring run in the first half.
Dickson and Eppler got their night started early when they hooked up on a 53-yard touchdown pass on the second play of the game. The next time Navasota had the ball, Eppler hit Dickson for a 32-yard score.
Dickson?s final touchdown reception of the half came just before halftime, this one covering 15 yards.
Yates got its only touchdown of the first half from its defense when Christopher Reed grabbed a pass that bounced off a Rattler receivers? hands and returned it 43 yards for a touchdown.
Yates scored the first points of the second half when it recovered a fumble at the Navasota 12-yard line. The score came on a 17-yard pass from Anthony Franklin to Ma?Cajah Freeman. The point after was blocked by Coy Imhoff.
The Rattlers answered less than two minutes later on a 28-yard scoring run by Keyondrick Philio to make it 56-13. Navasota added the final scores of the night on a 37-yard field goal from Michel Martinez and a 20-yard run by Jarvis Norman.
The Rattlers return home to Rattler Stadium next Friday when they play host to Coldspring at 7 p.m.
