By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

COLUMBUS – Quarterback Kobe Hudson and the Troup Tigers made easy work of the Northside-Columbus Patriots on Friday night, easing to a 53-6 victory in a preseason game at Kinnett Stadium.

Troup will open the regular season on Aug. 30 against Ridgeland at Callaway Stadium.

“They did kind of what we thought we should do,” Troup head coach Tanner Glisson said. “They executed at a really high level, and we were physical. Some guys that we needed to make plays that were inexperienced made good plays. All in all, we got out of there with no injuries and played everybody on the team, so it was good.”

Hudson, an all-state quarterback who helped lead the Tigers to a 12-2 record last season, threw three touchdown passes and had a scoring run in the first half as Troup took a 34-0 lead.

Hudson threw two first-half touchdown passes to Mark-Anthony Dixon, and he tossed one apiece to Marquavious Kelley and Zy Varner.

One of Dixon’s touchdown catches covered about 80 yards.

Hudson, who had nearly 5,000 combined yards passing and rushing last season, added a 4-yard touchdown run in the first half.

Trey Williams, who had nearly 1,000 rushing yards last season, had a touchdown run called back against Northside.

Troup lost its three leading receivers from last season, but the team had no trouble moving the ball through the air against Northside. In addition to Dixon, Kelley and Varner, tight ends Luke Purnell and Andy Boykin also had catches.

In the second half, with the starters watching from the sideline, Troup continued to move the ball at will.

Nick Schweizer, Troup’s backup quarterback, had a touchdown run late in the third quarter.

A.J. Tucker, a freshman who helped lead Long Cane Middle School to a league title as a quarterback, added a pair of scoring runs, and sophomore quarterback Tyson Duncan played well.

“We were pretty much clicking on all cylinders,” Glisson said. “The game plan was good. The coaches did a really good job, so now we get ready to do it for real.”