For the first four weeks of the season, Athens Drive High had been landing hooks one after another on opposing defenses with the help of coach Jeff Smouse’s spread offense. With four and sometimes five wideout sets, Athens quarterback Nick DeMuro had picked apart opposing defenses to the tune of 40 points per game in an undefeated 4-0 start.

On Friday night, though, the Jaguars shifted strategy and went to a ground attack, rushing for 316 yards in a 56-32 drubbing of East Chapel Hill High.

The win improved the Jags to 5-0 heading into Tri-Eight Conference play on Friday at Fuquay-Varina High.

Although most of Athens’ success had come through the air, Smouse made it clear in the week leading up to their match-up with East Chapel Hill that the spread offense is not just a passing offense but is intended to create favorable match-ups and give each player more room to operate and perform — whether that be for DeMuro or running backs Andy Bertolozzi and Denardo Melendez.

“What we try to do is see what the defense is going to give us,” Smouse said. “If they’re going to play man-to-man and not play with a free safety we’re going to check to a pass. If they give us five people in the box and six people defending the pass, then we’re probably going to check to a run.”

Apparently East Chapel Hill didn’t get the message.

Wildcats coach David Thompson focused on shutting down Athens’ passing attack for most of the first quarter. DeMuro saw what the defense was giving him, checked into run plays and caught the Wildcats with jabs up the middle. The Jaguars ran for 93 yards in the first quarter, leaving East Chapel Hill reeling with every blow.

Once Thompson adjusted to the Athens running game plan, DeMuro checked back to the standard passing attack and lit the Wildcats up through the air. DeMuro finished the evening with 160 yards passing and six touchdowns (four passing, two rushing).

Bertolozzi rushed for a season-high 154 yards on 12 carries, including touchdown runs of 5 and 15 yards, while Melendez rushed for 98 yards on 10 carries and scored once on a 46-yard pass reception. T.J. Kornegay has a team-high three receptions for 38 yards, including touchdown catches of 14 and 22 yards. Matt Glenn also had a 56-yard scoring reception.

Even though Athens has had unprecedented success this season, Smouse believes his team is just scratching the surface of its potential. The spread offense relies on the quarterback’s ability to read the defense and while the quarterbacks have done a great job so far, there is still a lot of work to be done.

“I think we’re playing pretty well, [but] we haven’t really put a complete game together,” Smouse said. “We’re probably about 70 to 80 percent [there]. The quarterbacks really picked [the offense] up very well, both quarterbacks. And the receivers, a lot of them are newer this year and they’re learning more each week.”