By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

The Hope Christian School Eagles rolled to 9-0 on the season Oct. 15 with a 52-14 win over visiting Evangel Family Christian Academy of Montgomery.

“It’s a good feeling. Ultimately, our persistence and consistence won the game for us,” said Hope head coach Mark Rettig. “Our intensity has gotten better each week.

“We’ve got the same guys here now that were here a few years ago when we weren’t winning anything,” Rettig added. “But they have put in the work and really stepped it up. They deserve this.”

Hope racked up 309 total yards of offense, and quarterback Zac Hughes completed eight of 17 passing attempts.

The Eagles’ Caleb Rettig and Andrew Whitson each recorded 15 tackles in the win over the Saints.

Hope lit up the scoreboard first in the opening quarter, when Terrence Moore intercepted an Evangel pass and ran it in for a touchdown.

Caleb Rettig scored again on the Eagles’ next possession on a 1-yard run into the end zone, and Hughes added the two-point conversion.

The Saints answered on a 45-yard pass, but failed to add the two-point conversion.

Hughes connected with Eric Spence on a 37-yard touchdown pass, and Hughes added the two-point conversion to bring the game to 22-6 at the end of the first quarter.

The Saints scored on the first series of the second quarter, but Hope answered on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Hughes to Moore. Spence added the two-point conversion.

After Andrew Whitson recovered an Evangel fumble, Hughes connected with Caleb Douglas for a touchdown. Denzel Williams reeled in a pass from Hughes for the two-point conversion.

In the third quarter, Hughes found Williams in the end zone for on a 6-yard touchdown pass Ben Nafe added the two-point conversion, bringing the game to 46-14.

Hughes again connected with Moore for a 16-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter, but Hope failed to add the two-point conversion.

With the win, Hope is now ranked No. 1 in the Alabama Christian Sports Conference, and will play at Alabaster’s Evangel Christian in the state championship game Oct. 29.