Westside back does late dad proud

His father died from cancer during his eighth-grade year. But the memory of Shelly "Bubba" Hunter remains strong with his son.

With the elder Hunter's birthday Friday, Westside junior running back Chris Hunter wanted to do something special. It'll be hard for him to top his performance against Cross Creek in the future.

Hunter rushed for 308 yards on 25 carries with four touchdowns to lead the Patriots to an easy win over the Razorbacks.

"I'm just proud," he said. "I felt like doing something good for his birthday."

Hunter gained 218 yards in the first half alone as Westside cruised to a 28-6 lead. After a touchdown early in the third quarter, Hunter received just five more carries, one in the fourth quarter.

"He's a hard-nosed runner," said first-year Westside coach Ivory Hugee, who notched his first win with the Patriots. "He's one of these runners that the more you give it to him the harder he's going to run."

Hunter led a Westside rushing attack that amassed 399 yards on the ground.

"It's got to be a concern," Cross Creek coach Scott Tate said. "But he's a good athlete.

"We're going to have to make some adjustments on our end, maybe tweak some people in certain places and find a way to stop that."

Westside avenged its season-opening loss to Richmond Academy, a game in which the Patriots blew a second-half lead. In that contest, Hunter rushed for 120 yards. Through two games, he has more than 400 rushing yards.

Hunter served notice early against the Razorbacks. On Westside's second play from scrimmage, he broke through the line, high-stepped out of a tackle at midfield and darted down the right sideline. His 76-yard touchdown run was just the beginning.

"I hit my man and I looked up," Westside senior left guard Jimmy Buck said of the play. "The snap of the ball and he was gone."

On the Patriots' following drive, Josh Edmunds found tight end Eric Vivian in the back of the end zone on a third-and-goal play from the 5. The score put Westside on top for good at 14-6.

Hunter added a pair of touchdown runs of 8 and 9 yards in the final five minutes of the first half. The Patriots went into intermission with a 28-6 lead.

After his fourth touchdown, a 60-yard burst through the Cross Creek defense, Hunter fell to the ground holding his leg. It turned out to be cramps. He jogged off the field.

The Razorbacks opened the game with a lengthy drive that sputtered in the red zone. Quarterback Keenan Grissett led his team with 112 yards on 14 carries.

He also completed 14 of 30 passes for 182 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.

Terrell Word added a 13-yard rushing touchdown.

Reach Chris Gay at (706) 823-3645 or chris.gay@augustachronicle.com.