Hartselle’s Ri Fletcher scored a go-ahead touchdown with 3:28 left and Hartselle took down Athens 21-14 in a Class 6A, Region 7 clash on Friday night.

The Golden Eagles (5-2, 2-2) trailed 7-0 in a low-scoring first half before Peyton Gross delivered a 4-yard touchdown pass to Caiden Dumas to make it 7-6 with 2:29 left in the second quarter.

Fletcher, who accounted for all three touchdowns for No. 8 Hartselle (6-2, 3-1), secured his second of the game early in the third quarter to put the Tigers up 14-6.

Athens, though, continued to battle as John McIntyre (1-yard TD run) and Johnson Speegle (2-point catch) brought the road team even with 6:27 left in the matchup.

Unfortunately for the Golden Eagles, however, Fletcher’s final score proved the difference.

Gross completed 10 of 21 passes for 95 yards while McIntyre added 138 rushing yards on 22 carries. Jay’Shon Ridgle also pitched in 78 yards of total offense.

Athens returns home next week to face Columbia.