Last week, the Rudder Rangers showed they could stage a fourth-quarter comeback in their first ever win. On Friday, they showed they could take an early lead and hold onto it, cruising to a 49-14 victory over the Hearne Eagles at Merrill Green Stadium.

The Rangers (2-1) came into the game energized after chalking up the program's first win last week over Brookshire-Royal. The players came out of the locker room with a little extra enthusiasm, and it carried over to the field as they scored on the game's opening possession when Kyle Danford scored on a 2-yard run.

The Eagles (2-2) turned the ball over on downs on their first possession, and Rudder promptly marched down the field for another Danford touchdown.

The 14-0 first-quarter lead grew to 21-0 late in the second as Danford again punched the ball in from two yards out, but Rangers head coach C.M. Pier wasn't about to ease off the throttle.

With two minutes to go in the half, Pier called a surprise onside kick that caught Hearne off guard and gave Rudder the ball again at the Eagles' 44-yard line. The Rangers drove to the 22, setting up a Danford touchdown pass to Mike Jones.

"We felt like we had some momentum coming from last week," Jones said. "We practiced hard all week and the coaches gave us a good game plan and we executed it."

Jones, who finished with 51 yards on two receptions, said the offense was in sync for the entire game.

"The line was blocking great today and Kyle was throwing the ball very well," Jones said. "I just had to do my part and catch the ball."

It was the first time the Rangers had held such a large lead, and at halftime Pier made sure they stayed focused for the second half.

"I told them that we're still going through all these firsts, and this was another one of those firsts at halftime," Pier said. "I told them they had to focus in on what they did in the first half, then make their adjustments and get out there and execute."

Hearne was able to get on the board in the second half. After the Eagles' first possession ended in a punt they came up big on their first defensive play, forcing and recovering a fumble at the Rudder 7. Kenneth Jones got Hearne closer to the end zone with a 5-yard run, setting up a 2-yard trip to paydirt for quarterback Shedrick Taylor.

The 2-point conversion try came up short, leaving Hearne trailing 28-6.

Rudder bounced back from the turnover and answered Hearne's score with a three-play, 53-yard scoring drive. Runs of 18 and 2 yards by Restevin Anderson, who finished with 142 yards on 19 carries, set up a 33-yard run by Tre Hammond. It was the third touchdown run of 20 yards or longer by Hammond in the last two games.

Rudder got on the scoreboard again in the fourth quarter on a 28-yard pass from Danford to Charlie Bush. Hearne responded by marching deep into Rudder territory before Domonique Robison put an abrupt end to the threat, intercepting a pass and racing 99 yards up the sideline for a touchdown.

The Eagles started showing their frustration on the intereception return, getting flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after the play. Things got worse as a player was flagged for roughing the kicker on the extra point.

The two penalties meant Rudder kicked off from the Hearne 30. The ball sailed well out of the end zone, setting up the Eagles to start their final scoring drive of the night from the 20. Hearne drove 80 yards on 15 plays, capped by a 46-yard run by Jones, who finished with 139 yards and a score on 17 carries.

After the game, Pier talked about the importance of getting Friday's victory before the Rangers open district play next week in Navasota.

"I would be lying if I stood here and said the win wasn't big, because it is better to go in with two wins than two losses," Pier said. "At the same time, our district is tough top to bottom. We're coming up against a district favorite next week and they're as tough as there is. It's going to be a challenge for us."