Bulldogs fall to Monroe County, 14-13
Published 12:00 am Friday, October 3, 2003
The Andalusia Bulldogs were on the road Friday night playing the Tigers of Monroe County. In what seemed to be perfect conditions for football, clear skies and a cool breeze, helped set up a game that went down the wire. The Bulldogs had their chances and fought hard until the end but came up just short, losing 14-13.
The Bulldogs, wearing their all white, visiting uniforms, received the opening kickoff and opened up with a drive.
Running by Wes Lyles and Neal Patterson got the Dawgs down to the Tiger 25-yard line. But they came up just short of continuing the opening drive when C.T. Eldridge's pass was deflected away on fourth down.
The Tigers took over on downs after Andalusia could not convert the first down.
Running back Terrell Richardson helped move MC down the field and into Andalusia territory with a couple of big runs.
Quarterback Theran Page's 27-yard quarterback keeper set up Richardson's 7-yard touchdown run.
The PAT was no good and with the first quarter winding down the Monroe County Tigers led 6-0.
Eldridge moved the ball down the field for the Bulldogs, once again putting them in Tiger territory, but they were unable to convert.
Matthew Mitchell was forced to punt, pinning the Tigers deep in their own territory, at 5-yard line. Andalusia's William Mellown recovered a fumble at the Tigers' 22-yard line giving the ball briefly back to the Bulldogs.
On the very next play, Eldridge coughed it up and the Tigers recovered the lose ball at their own 21-yard line.
Unable to convert, Monroe County was forced to punt and Andalusia started their next possession at their 44-yard line. The turnover woes continued as Jared McNeil lost the handle and the Tigers came up with another take away.
Both teams had possession of the ball, but were unable to move it at all as the first half came to a close. At the break Monroe County led the Andalusia Bulldogs by a score of 6-0.
Andalusia recovered the opening kick of the second half, giving them great field position at MC 42-yard line.
After a first down run by Eldridge, Wesley Lyles broke free for a 25-yard touchdown run that put the Bulldogs on the board. The PAT was good giving Andalusia its first lead of the night, 7-6.
Monroe County then drove the length of the field on their next possession. The drive was capped off by Page's one-yard quarterback sneak on fourth down.
The Tigers then converted a two-point play for a 14-7 lead over Andalusia.
As the fourth quarter got under way, Andalusia began to settle in and moved the ball on the MC defense. But, just as they begin to sustain a drive inside Tiger territory, Mitchell was once again called on to punt for the Bulldogs as Monroe held them to three and out. After starting off at their own 20-yard line, Monroe County moved the ball all the way down to the Andalusia 15-yard line but found themselves unable to convert on fourth down as the AHS defense shut the door four straight times.
With time winding down in the game, Andalusia put together a drive which was capped of by D'Andre Lee 's 44-yard touchdown run. The PAT was blocked by Monroe County and with just six minutes to play Andalusia still found themselves down 14-13.
Monroe County turned the ball over on their own 38-yard line which set up the Bulldogs with an excellent opportunity to score and win the game.
Lyles broke free with an 18-yard run to put Andalusia inside the 10-yard line. MC kept the Bulldogs out of the end zone setting up a chance for Tra Curry to give AHS the win with a 23-yard field goal, but it sailed wide left.
Andalusia stopped the Tigers forcing them to punt with three minutes left in the game. The Bulldogs get the ball on their own 32-yard line just to see their chances of winning slip away as quarterback C.T. Eldridge fumbled the ball with a minute left in the game.
A Monroe County player recovered the ball and ran out the clock to secure a 14-13 win.