Bulldogs must win in Butler
Published 12:00 am Thursday, October 17, 2002
Choctaw County may be a 1-6 team, but Andalusia Head Coach Paul Woolley does not believe the Tigers are as bad as the record indicates.
"Every person I've talked to, and I've talked to just about everybody who has played them, says they are the best 1-6 team in the state of Alabama," Woolley said.
The Bulldogs will find out on Friday when the team travels to Butler for a 7 p.m. game.
Andalusia enters the game with a 3-4 record overall and a 2-3 record in Class 4A, Region 1 play which is good enough for fifth place. Choctaw County is 1-6 overall and 1-4 in region play.
The Bulldogs must win Friday and then get a victory next Friday night, when the No. 10-ranked Thomasville Tigers come to town for the Bulldogs homecoming, to have an outside chance of making the playoffs.
The Bulldogs must win those two games without a few starters. Kevin Dohoney is out for the season after sustaining a knee injury during last week's loss against the Hillcrest Jaguars. Dohoney was a key contributor on offense and defense as a running back and a linebacker.
Woolley said the Bulldogs have been challenged this week in practice as they prepare for the game against Choctaw County.
"We've had two physical practices and really hit on Monday and Tuesday," Woolley said. "I have found that when you get down, the best way to get better is to get physical."
The physical practices should help the Bulldogs in the game Friday when they face a Choctaw County team with talented backs.
"They've got a good quarterback and a good fullback," Woolley said. "They also have a good linebacker. They can play."
The Bulldogs will have to be physical, especially on offense, to execute the game plan.
"What we've seen is that we can't outrun them," Woolley said. "We have to carry it straight at them, run some misdirection and some boot passes.
"Their defense flies to the football," he added.
Last season, the Bulldogs rallied late in the season to make the playoffs. A win on Friday would be a good start toward possibly doing the same thing this season.