The Andalusia Bulldogs put up a strong effort on Friday night, but fell 56-42 to Class 6A Shades Valley in the season opener at Andalusia.

Shades Valley got the ball to start the game, but the Bulldog defense forced a punt.

After the Bulldogs were forced to punt, Shades Valley punched in a 1-yard touchdown to go up 7-0.

Andalusia’s B.J. Anderson got a big return on the kickoff and set the Bulldogs up inside Shades Valley territory.

On third-and-long, Bulldog quarterback Ethan Wilson scrambled around in the pocket to keep the play alive and then fired the ball down field. The pass fell incomplete, but pass interference on Shades Valley gave the Bulldogs a new set of downs.

A screen pass from Wilson to Anderson then put the Bulldogs on the 1-yard line where Roosevelt Weaver dove in for a score on the next play.

Reese Burkhardt’s extra point tied the game 7-7.

Shades Valley then scored a pair of unanswered touchdowns to put them on top 21-7 with 7:34 left in the first half.

Freshman running back Josh Gurley got things going with a punishing 5-yard run up the middle, and the a 35-yard run from Wilson moved the Bulldogs down the field.

Wilson then connected with Sebaskin Stallworth for another big gain.

A few plays later, Wilson hit R.J. Drish, streaking down the middle of the field for a 17-yard touchdown.

Shades Valley then just needed one offensive play to go 60 yards and make it a 28-14 game with 4:29 left before halftime.

The Bulldogs answered right back with a strong drive capped off by 2-yard touchdown from Weaver to make the score 28-21.

In the third quarter after a Shades Valley touchdown, Grant Holley made a sliding catch deep in Shades Valley territory and then Gurley ended the drive with a punishing 20-yard touchdown run.

The Bulldog defense then made a stop and got the ball deep in Shades Valley territory.

The Andalusia offense took advantage and tied the game with a 1-yard touchdown from Weaver.

Shades Valley then scored quickly to make 42-35 with 8:20 left in the game.

On the next play, Weaver went 60 yards to set the Bulldogs up inside the Shades Valley 15-yard line.

Wilson followed with a dart to Drish in the end zone to tie the game 42-42 with 6:29 left.

Shades Valley then took advantage of their depth and added two late scores.

“You couldn’t have scripted a better first game,” Andalusia head coach Trent Taylor said. “I think we learned a lot about ourselves tonight. We had a lot of kids grow up tonight. I’m excited to get back to some 4A schools…Around the third or fourth series, I really felt like our offensive line grew up. We did some good things, but there at the end, they just had a little more depth than we did.”

Weaver finished the night with 182 yards rushing and three Bulldog touchdowns.