The kickoff of Thursday’s season-opening rivalry game at East Limestone was delayed an hour due to the excessive heat that’s scorched the state recently, but Athens wasted no time in lighting up the scoreboard in Capshaw.

Jay’shon Ridgle raced 73 yards on the game’s first play from scrimmage and the Golden Eagles never looked back on the way to a 63-14 win. It was the first of three touchdowns for Ridgle in the contest.

“We got it to Ridgle,” Athens coach Cody Gross said of the 5-foot-10, 198-pound senior. “He’s pretty good. It’s usually a pretty good plan to get it to him. He’s an amazing guy. I don’t think I’ve ever coached a guy like him in high school. He’s so strong. He’s explosive. He’s such a hard worker. Everything that comes his way he’s earned. We’ve just got to do a good job of utilizing his talents because he’s got a lot of them.”

Brogan Gross threw four Golden Eagle touchdown passes – two to Ridgle.

“I thought he played well, made good decisions, took care of the ball,” Cody Gross said of the QB, his son.

Silas Jones added two touchdown runs for Athens. Robert Borden and Halston Barker both ran for a score – Barker’s score was also from 73 yards out. Caiden Dumas and Johnson Speegle also caught TD passes.

Jake Cochran threw for a touchdown to Jordan Moore and had a scoring run for East Limestone.

The home team tried to answer following Athens’ quick score, but stalled on downs at the Eagles’ 8-yard-line.

Athens led 21-0 early in the second quarter before Cochran’s 28-yard TD pass to Moore with 7:51 left.

The visitors led 35-14 at the half.

Ridgle said the team focused beyond the rivalry aspect of the game.

“It’s really staying mentally strong,” Ridgle said. “Everybody wants to talk to you about the game but you’ve got to stick to your game and know what you’re doing and keep being focused.”

Brogan Gross expressed the need to keep that same mindset heading into Athens’ Sept. 1 home opener against Bob Jones. The Class 7A Patriots lost 48-14 at Muscle Shoals on Friday.

“We can’t let this go to our head too quick,” the quarterback said. “We can celebrate tonight but tomorrow it’s behind us and we focus on Bob Jones.”

East Limestone will travel to Central-Florence on Sept. 1.