Bulldogs pummel Escambia County
Published 12:09 am Saturday, September 23, 2017
Second-ranked Andalusia took advantage of some miscues by Escambia County as the Bulldogs ran away with a 41-0 region victory over the Blue Devils in Atmore on Friday night.
The Bulldogs scored off of four ECHS turnovers in the first half en route to a 31-0 lead at halftime.
“We just played a good team,” Blue Devils head football coach Rico Jackson said. “We made a ton of turnovers.”
Jackson said most of the turnovers in the first half came off of routine plays, which wasn’t supposed to happen.
Atmore did a good job of applying pressure on AHS quarterback Ethan Wilson, but the senior South Alabama baseball commit used his arm when it mattered during the first half.
The first turnover came after the ball hit an ECHS player on an Andalusia punt.
From there, Wilson found senior wide receiver Grant Holley for a touchdown pass with 9:41 left in the first. With the PAT by Reese Burkhardt, AHS led 7-0.
Holley also celebrated a birthday on Friday night.
Three possessions later, the Blue Devils coughed up the ball again with 5:02 left in the first quarter, and the Bulldogs took advantage as Wilson connected with Holley again for a long pass to set up a 26-yard field goal by Burkhardt with 3:14 left.
On the ensuing punt, Andalusia’s Ashley Odom recovered a fumble in the end zone and the Bulldogs took a healthy 17-0 lead.
In the second quarter, AHS added to its lead on a 3-yard touchdown rush from sophomore running back Caleb Smallwood with 5:19 to go.
After another ECHS fumble, AHS took advantage again as Elijah McClain scored from 20 yards out to go ahead 31-0 with the PAT.
ECHS will picked itself up and get ready for next week’s homecoming game against Hillcrest-Evergreen, while Andalusia hosts rival Opp.
McClain led the way on the ground for the Bulldogs, picking up three touchdowns and 108 yards on 15 carries.
Roosevelt Weaver added 86 yards on 11 carries.
Holley finished the game with three catches for 33 yards and a score.
Caleb Smallwood added a 2-yard score.
Gill Morgan recovered a fumble for a touchdown, and Andrew Dean recovered two fumbles.
The Bulldog offense racked up 393 yards and the defense held Escambia County to just 61 yards.
The Bulldog defense forced six fumbles from Escambia County.