FUQUAY-VARINA - Athens Drive quarterback Jason West opened up Friday’s game against Fuquay-Varina with 9-of-11 passing, but the Jaguars signal-caller’s two incompletions were both Bengals interceptions.

Those turnovers set the tone, not only for what football coach Ryan Habich called his “bend-but-don’t-break” defense, but also for the Jags’ offense.

At times, Athens moved the ball well against the Bengals, but four Fuquay takeaways kept the Jags at bay. The Bengals remain on top of the Tri-Nine Conference standings with a 38-21 victory at Bengals Stadium.

“When we’ve got to make a play on defense, we usually make a play,” Fuquay coach Ryan Habich said. “Our guys have gotten better, they’re playing a lot more disciplined (than earlier in the year).”

In the first half, Athens faced just one third down, moving the ball at will against the Bengals. But two drives were halted by interceptions from Garrett Suggs and Taylor Skeens. A fumble recovery by Rogeric Harper in the red zone stopped one more, and Fuquay (7-1, 5-1) entered the break with a 28-7 lead.

“The three turnovers killed us in the first half,” Athens coach Jeff Smouse said. “(Fuquay) is a real good football team, and we’re getting there. They were just bigger and stronger than we were, but the turnovers definitely hurt us.”

The Bengals got on the board first thanks to a 17-yard run by eventual homecoming king Ricky Fergerson.

Athens Drive (4-4, 3-2) evened the score as West went 7-of-7 passing on his first drive, ending it with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Mike Estes.

Fuquay did not relent in the first half, scoring on a 15-yard end-around from Kyle Smith, a 3-yard plunge from Carlton Bridges and a hook-and-lateral where Hayden Read caught Evan McNeill’s pass before tossing back to Smith.

Although having good field position for most of the half, the Bengals stayed in the lead by forcing West into two picks and a fumble.

Fuquay added a 4-yard touchdown run by McNeill and a 26-yard field goal by Andrew Starnes. Athens’ last two touchdowns were scored on a 15-yard toss from backup quarterback Ben Bowling to Adrien King and a 12-yard touchdown run by Dominique Lynch.