After falling behind early in the first quarter, Athens scored 17 straight points to earn a hard fought victory over Lee last night, 24-14. The win broke a two-game skid for the Golden Eagles (4-3, 4-1).

“We played hard tonight,” Athens head coach Allen Creasy said.

“Our defensive front seven played well, but there were some mistakes in the secondary.”

Those mistakes made the game closer than expected in the fourth quarter, but Athens never relinquished the lead after seizing it from Lee (2-5, 1-4).

The Generals scored first early in the opening quarter when a pass by JT Young was intercepted by Shedrick Askew, who returned it 72 yards for a touchdown. Dairro Reeves’ extra point gave Lee a 7-0 advantage.

Athens scored in the opening moments of the second quarter when Chris Cain plunged in for a 1-yard touchdown run. Bryan Brown kicked the PAT to tie the game 7-7. Twice on the drive Lee was flagged for facemask penalties, both times at the end of long runs, by Young (10 yards) and Cain (14 yards). Cain led all rushers with 97 yards on 22 carries.

“Penalties hurt us tonight, but we battled hard” Lee head coach Rick Daniel said.

Lee responded with a 45-yard kickoff return and then a 28-yard pass from Raymond Russell, Jr. to Delawrence Daniels to the Athens 7-yard line. But the Golden Eagles defense stuffed the next three plays and blocked the field goal attempt to keep the score even at halftime.

“They were super on defense and their offense move the ball well,” Daniel said.

Athens finally pulled ahead 10-7 in the third quarter on a Brown field goal, set up by a Chandler Brock 20-yard punt return and Jamaal Bess 15 yard run.

Bess, who finished with 9 carries for 48 yards, rushed for two 10-yard gains on Athens’ next possession, the ladder for a touchdown. That gave Athens a 17-7 after another Brown extra point going into the fourth quarter.

But Lee would not quit. Russell found Alvin Odoms, Jr. for a 36-yard completion, then found Askew all alone in the end zone for a 29-yard touchdown pass. The Generals pulled to within three, 17-14. Russell was 9-24 for 200 yards in the game.

Athens punted on their next possession.

“We have to find a way to handle pressure a little better,” coach Creasy said. “We’re going to have to find a way to run and pass better an block better on the offensive line.”

But the defense stifled the Generals again, forcing another Lee punt.