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AHOSKIE – Hertford County scored four touchdowns on their first five snaps from scrimmage and kept their foot on the gas afterwards as the Bears routed Camden County, 67-7, here Friday during the annual Homecoming game.

With two straight wins under their belt for the first time this season, the Bears improved to 3-5 overall and 2-3 in Northeastern Coastal Conference action.

HCHS wasted little time setting the tone for this contest as the crowd had yet to settle in their seats when Rucker Nixon tossed the first of his four touchdown passes, this one a 69-yard strike to Rimiez Williams on the second play of the game. Ty’Drevion Joyner booted the PAT for a 7-0 lead with the game only 59 seconds old.

On the ensuing kick-off, Joyner sent a line drive into Camden’s front line of blockers. The ball bounced off one of those players and was recovered by Hertford County’s Jordan Staton at the Bruins 43 yardline.

On the game’s next snap from that point, Williams, a speedy senior, took the hand-off on a reverse and darted into the endzone for a 13-0 lead as the PAT kick failed.

Camden then put together their only scoring drive of the night, marching 54 yards in six plays capped by Javon Mayo’s 20-yard run to paydirt. Wyatt Werderman booted the PAT, slicing Camden’s deficit to 13-7 at the 7:45 mark of the opening period.

That’s as close as Camden got.

One snap after the ensuing kick-off, Staton took the handoff and scampered 59 yards to the endzone. The PAT kick was blocked, but the Bears were on top 19-7.

Eight seconds later, HCHS increased their lead to 25-7. That score was set-up by a rarely seen play in the sport of football when Joyner sent a high kick-off downfield that was angling towards the Camden sidelines. However, it didn’t go out-of-bounds and the Bruins failed to cover the ball (kick-offs are considered a live ball after traveling 10 yards). Hertford County’s Jalen Burnell made a heads-up play by covering up the ball, allowing the Bears to take possession at Camden’s 38 yardline.

On first down from that point, Camden committed a face mask penalty, moving the ball to the 23 yardline from where Derek Joyner scored on a running play on the game’s next snap. The conversion passed failed, but the Bears had padded their lead to 25-7 less than five minutes into the game.

Before the first quarter ended, HCHS added two more scores: an 11-yard TD pass from Nixon to Williams (set up by an interception by Bears defender Jaxon Davis) and a two-point safety when HCHS defenders DaTerion Vaughan and Carlos Moore tackled Camden’s quarterback in his endzone.

They padded that 33-7 lead when, on Camden’s ensuing free kick after the safety, Kunari Tann returned that kick 36 yards to the Bruins 37 yardline. Six plays later, sophomore running back Adyen Everette rambled 11 yards for a touchdown. The PAT kick failed, but the Bears held a commanding 39-7 lead early in the second quarter.

Hertford County would score twice more before the first half clock expired, both off drives set up by interceptions from Williams.

His first pick stopped a Camden drive inside Hertford County’s 20 yardline. Six plays later, Nixon and Williams hooked up on a 72-yard TD pass. Nixon then connected with Nathaniel Harrell on the conversion pass for a 47-7 lead.

Thanks to Mayo’s 53-yard return of the ensuing kick-off, Camden threatened again on their next possession as they reached the red zone. But Williams made a leaping interception inside his own 10 yardline to turn the Bruins away.

Set up by a 14-yard pass from Nixon to Caden Woods and a 29-yard run from Everette, the Bears moved 93 yards in just four plays. Nixon capped the drive with a 50-yard TD pass to Davis. The conversion pass failed, but the Bears led 53-7 at halftime.

Staton (42-yard TD run) and Tann (1-yard TD run) rounded out the scoring in the second half.

For the game, HCHS amassed 556 yards of total offense. Nixon led that effort, connecting on 8-of-10 passes for 237 yards and four touchdowns.

The Bears added 319 rushing yards on just 25 carries. Staton was the top ground gainer with 143 yards on six attempts and two TDs. D. Joyner added 61 rushing yards on six carries; Williams had 53 rushing yards on two attempts; and Everette chipped in 40 yards on two carries.

Camden finished with 154 total yards, led by Mayo’s 110 rushing yards on 11 carries.

HCHS will host Manteo this Friday (Oct. 25) in the Bears final home game of the regular season.