It’s very rare for some football players to seize the opportunity and find playing time on the field during games.

Andalusia senior running back Demetrius Reed had that opportunity, and he took advantage of it Friday when he ran for a touchdown off a fake punt, helping his team beat Straughn, 20-7.

“The center held the ball between his legs and everybody ran past me and I picked the ball up and ran,” Reed said Monday before practice.

At that time during the game last Friday night, Andalusia was on its own 42-yard line, facing fourth down and trailing by one point.

Oddly enough, Reed was suspended from playing in the first half due to “missing too many workouts.”

“Coming into the second half, I was looking to make plays for the team,” he said. “So, coach (Brian Seymore) was on the sideline and it was fourth-and-14 and everybody on the sideline said to go for it. Coach called the play and I just went.”

Reed said all he wanted to do was make it a few yards down the field and pick up a first down when he broke through Straughn’s defenders.

“It turned from a few yards to 58 real quick,” he said. “After I realized that I outran the return man, I was like I knew I was going to get this touchdown. Once I got it, I knew the game was going to turn around because I could see the fans and my teammates going wild.

“We had no chance then, but to win.”

Having helped lead his team to their first season victory for 2009, Reed said he hopes things will go nowhere but up for the remainder of the season.

“We’re just going to try and build off our first win over Straughn and make things better and turn this season around from last year,” Reed said. “I see the season going into a good direction. If everybody stays healthy and stays on the right track and sticks together with all the ‘one-ness’ everything’s going to be all right.”