CULLMAN — Brogan Gross accounted for four total touchdowns, Clarence Jones hauled in the game-sealing interception and Athens withstood a tough road challenge from Cullman on Friday night to secure a 34-28 triumph.

With the win, the Golden Eagles improved to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in Class 6A, Region 7.

“Hats off to Cullman because they battled and made plays,” Athens coach Cody Gross said. “Defensively, though, we had three interceptions and we didn’t turn it over on offense. That’s been key to our success.”

The Golden Eagles jumped out to a 21-0 advantage midway through the second quarter thanks to touchdown tosses from Gross to John McIntyre (24 yards) and Johnson Speegle (14 yards) as well as a 62-yard scoring scamper by Silas Jones.

Cullman’s Tanner Gaines, though, found Wyatt Buchanan for a 12-yard touchdown strike to make it 21-7 and the Bearcats blocked a field goal as time expired to keep it a two-score deficit at halftime.

Both teams traded offensive blows throughout the second half.

Gross sandwiched a 33-yard touchdown pass to Caiden Dumas between a pair of scoring scampers from Cullman’s Sam Mayhair — the last of which cut Athens’ lead to 28-21 with 11:33 remaining.

Gross’ final touchdown of the game — a quarterback sneak with 6:27 left — pushed his team’s lead to 34-21.

The Bearcats, however, continued to fight as Gaines found Buchanan once again — this time from 10 yards out — to claw to within six (34-28) at the 1:34 mark.

Cullman then recovered an onside kick and looked to cash in that momentum with a potential game-winning score.

But Clarence Jones had other ideas and the sophomore picked off a pass by Gaines to seal the region win.

“They threw a post and he snatched it,” Gross said. “It was a really, really great catch. It knocked the breath out of him.”

Gross finished 23-of-27 through the air for 220 yards and the three aerial scores.

Silas Jones, meanwhile, had 131 rushing yards on 15 carries.

Speegle (nine catches for 71 yards), Dumas (three catches for 47 yards), Jay’Shon Ridgle (seven catches for 41 yards) and McIntyre (three catches for 38 yards) provided solid targets for Gross in the passing game.

Malcolm Horton and Trey Johnston joined Clarence Jones in snagging an interception.

“It was great to see,” Gross said of his team’s resiliency. “I know how hard it is to win at Cullman experiencing it through the years. Any time you come out with a win — it’s big. There’s no quit in them, but there’s no quit in us, either. It was just a great high school football game.”

Athens travels to No. 5 Hartselle next week. The Tigers fell to No. 4 Muscle Shoals 55-49 in double overtime.