Milhorne’s Hard Running, Stout Defense Lift Chilhowie to Key Hogoheegee Win Over Honaker

By Matt Mullins, Senior Writer

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HONAKER — On a festive homecoming night at Fuller Field, the stage was set for a playoff-caliber showdown between Honaker’s high-octane air raid offense and Chilhowie’s fast, physical defense. What many expected to be a shootout quickly turned into a statement by the Warriors, as Chilhowie’s pesky and hard-hitting defense set the tone and freshman running back Gunner Milhorne powered the offense. The Tigers’ game plan took an early hit when star receiver Avery Musick exited with an injury, and costly penalties on both sides of the ball stalled any momentum Honaker tried to build. Milhorne churned out a tough 60 yards on 14 carries, including a gritty touchdown run that helped Chilhowie control the tempo. When the dust settled, the Warriors walked away with a hard-fought 22–7 victory, silencing the Tigers’ high-flying attack and bolstering their district title hopes.

(Photo By Emily Ball Bristol Herald Courier - Gunnar Milhourne Running VS Northwood)

Honaker appeared poised to strike early, driving deep into Chilhowie territory on its second possession before adversity struck. Star receiver Avery Musick went down with an injury inside the red zone during the first quarter, halting a promising drive and forcing the Tigers to adjust offensively. Despite battling to stay within reach, Honaker’s comeback hopes were dashed late in the fourth quarter when Luke Mullinax came up with a momentum-shifting interception with eight minutes remaining — the first pick thrown all season by quarterback Parker Lowe. The takeaway snuffed out what looked to be a potential scoring drive and sealed Chilhowie’s control down the stretch.

Honaker managed to find success on the ground behind running back Cole Morrison, who fought his way to 92 yards on 17 carries, helping the Tigers sustain drives throughout the night. But a continuous string of penalties proved costly, repeatedly putting Honaker behind the chains and erasing key gains. After the Tigers opened the game with a 15-play drive capped by a 12-yard touchdown pass from Parker Lowe to freshman Ty Hubbard on fourth-and-goal, Chilhowie wasted no time responding. On the ensuing kickoff, Dylan Martin broke free for a long return down to the Honaker 13-yard line, and after back-to-back offsides penalties on the Tigers, Gunner Milhorne plunged into the end zone to tie the game at 7 with 4:40 left in the first quarter. The Warriors took control later in the half when quarterback Asher Chapman connected on a touchdown pass, followed by a successful two-point conversion to make it 15–7 at halftime. Chapman added a one-yard quarterback sneak with 5:04 remaining in the third quarter to cap the scoring and secure a huge Hogoheegee District victory. Each time Honaker appeared to gain momentum — whether from a defensive stand or a big offensive play — a costly flag seemed to follow, stalling progress and sealing their fate on homecoming night.

After the game, Chilhowie head coach Reid Sturgill praised his team’s toughness and defensive execution, while Honaker head coach Aaron Lowe credited the Warriors’ physicality and acknowledged his team’s missed opportunities. Both coaches vowed to clean things up during next week’s bye, with an eye toward making a strong push in the closing stretch of the Hogoheegee District race.