Hourel, Bulldogs rush to victory

Published 12:00 am Saturday, September 12, 2015

0912 spt BJ Anderson 0912 spt Jaden Brown 0912 spt Jamal Hourel

It’s was another big game for the Andalusia offensive line and running back Jamal Hourel as the Bulldogs (3-1, 2-0) blew away the Ashford Yellow Jackets (2-2, 1-1) 35-14 Friday night for homecoming.

After winning WSFA’s star athlete of the week for his performance last week, Hourel scorched the Yellow Jackets to the tune of 286 yards and four touchdowns.

Both teams traded punts to start the game, and the Yellow Jackets put the first points on the board with an 81-yard drive capped off with a touchdown with 20 seconds left in the first quarter.

On Andalusia’s next drive, the Bulldogs marched down the field, and Hourel finished off the drive with a 32-yard touchdown run. Chase Hopkins’s extra-point tied the game 7-7 with just under nine minutes left in the first half.

The Bulldogs’ defense held strong on the following drive and forced the Yellow Jackets to punt.

Taylor Griffin got 5 yards on the first play of the drive, and then Hourel went 83 yards for a touchdown on the next play. Hourel broke to the right where he was met at the line of scrimmage by a host of Yellow Jackets, but Hourel broke through the line then cut across the field breaking a tackle near the left sideline on his way to the touchdown. Hopkins’s extra-point gave the Bulldogs a 14-7 lead with five minutes left in the half.

Both teams traded punts as the half came to a close with Andalusia on top 14-7.

The Bulldogs opened up the second half with the ball, and Hourel capped off the eight-play drive with a 27-yard touchdown run. Hopkins was again successful with the extra-point.

Ashford answered right back, and scored a 35-yard touchdown to make it a one-score game with 4:37 left in the third quarter.

It didn’t take long for the Andalusia Bulldogs to respond, and Hourel found the end zone from 3 yards out to give Andalusia a 28-14 lead after Hopkins’s extra-point with 7 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Andalusia defense stepped up big and forced a three-and-out from the Yellow Jackets on the next series.

On the next play from the Bulldogs’ own 7-yard line, Hourel busted through the line and scampered 71 yards before he was pulled down inside the Yellow Jackets’ 20.

Two plays later Trevor Parker punched the ball into the end zone, and the another successful extra-point from Hopkins gave the Bulldogs a 35-14 lead with 6:39 left in the contest.

Andalusia held off the Yellow Jackets off the board for the rest of the game for a 35-14 homecoming victory.

“It was tight there for awhile,” Bulldogs’ coach Trent Taylor said. “They came out and ran some stuff that they haven’t ran all year, and took us a little bit to make an adjustment. Once we made the adjustment, the defense really got after them well. Offensively, it was another big night on the ground for us. This offensive line just keeps getting better and better. They are really starting to build confidence. This was a big win tonight, but we can’t get satisfied yet.”

The Bulldogs will hit the road next Friday for a region contest with St. James.