By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

COLUMBIANA – Hope Christian School head football coach Tony Nafe was unsure how his team would respond after losing senior starting quarterback Reid Allen to a season-ending ACL injury last week.

“He was one of the main leaders of the group,” Nafe said of Allen. “But our team rose to the occasion. Everybody played phenomenally well tonight for Hope.”

The Eagles took down the visiting Meadowview Christian Trojans 55-14 en route to a 2-0 start to the 2014 season.

Hope recorded 430 total yards of offense fueled by quarterbacks Cannon Fuqua and Dillon Thompson, who served in a dual role throughout the game.

Several Eagles recorded impressive stats on both sides of the ball, as Zach Gramstad recorded three tackles, a fumble recovery, 55 rushing yards and a two point conversion. Fuqua finished the night with 43 passing yards, 55 rushing yards, two PATs, two tackles and a touchdown.

Thompson recorded 29 passing yards, 43 receiving yards and 102 rushing yards and Gramstad recorded three tackles, a fumble recovery, a touchdown, a two-point conversion and 55 rushing yards.

Sophomore Elliott Bradshaw recorded 11 tackles, Joseph Patton recorded seven tackles and Misso recorded five tackles and a two-point conversion reception.

Gramstad scored a touchdown on the Eagles’ first offensive play, and Josiah Drew caught the two-point conversion pass. Also in the first quarter, Thompson scored on an 80-yard touchdown run, Fuqua scored a touchdown on a 65-yard kickoff return and added the two-point conversion and Fuqua connected with Thompson on a 24-yard touchdown pass. Gramstad added the two-point conversion.

Thompson scored on a 10-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter and Fuqua added a 33-yard rushing touchdown.

Hope will face North River Christian in Alabaster on Aug. 29.