GETTING THE TRAIN ROLLING: Andy Bulldogs christen new field with big win
Published 12:33 am Saturday, September 1, 2018
The Andalusia Bulldogs weren’t sure they would get to play on their new field when they woke up Friday morning, but the stadium passed state inspection and the Bulldogs proceeded to drum Trinity 23-7 on Friday night in Andalusia.
Andalusia got the ball to start the game and Roosevelt Weaver connected with a Josh Gurley for a 7-yard pass.
The Bulldogs couldn’t get anything else going on the drive and were forced to punt.
Andalusia’s defense came up big on the next drive as they forced a punt from Trinity.
The Bulldogs got the ball back, but fumbled the ball on the third play of the drive.
Trinity scooped up the ball and went down the field for a touchdown to go up 7-0 with 6:01 left in the opening quarter.
On the next Bulldog drive, Cameo Stoudemire busted off a 20-yard run on third down and then Weaver picked up another first down with a 15-yard run.
Weaver then put the Bulldogs on the 1-yard line when he hit Gurley with a 14-yard pass.
On the next play, Weaver punched it in for the first Bulldog touchdown of 2018.
The Bulldog defense continued to play strong as a big stop from Gurley and Caleb Smallwood forced Trinity to punt.
There was a bad snap on the punt and the Trinity punter fielded the ball with his knee on the ground. The officials blew the play dead and Andalusia got the ball.
Andalusia took over on the Trinity 14-yard line, but the offense stalled.
Reese Burkhardt then gave the Bulldogs their first lead of the season when he drilled a 24-yard field goal to put Andalusia on top 10-7 with 11:56 left before halftime.
After both teams traded punts, Andalusia took back over with 4:27 left before halftime.
Bry Burnett picked up a first down on the first play from scrimmage and then a few plays later Weaver found Stoudemire for a big gain and another first down.
The Bulldogs moved the ball down to the 1-yard line before the offense stalled.
Burkhardt followed with another field goal to give the Bulldogs a 13-7 lead with 30 seconds left before halftime.
On the first play from scrimmage in the third quarter, Andalusia’s Austin Hall quickly got into the backfield and took the pitch that was intended for the Trinity running back.
Andalusia took over on the Trinity 25-yard line, but couldn’t get the offense going.
Burkhardt had plenty of leg on a 37-yard field goal attempt, but the ball went left of the upright.
Trinity got the ball back and started working their way down the field, but an interception from Drexter Lee shut down the Wildcat drive.
As the game entered the halfway point in the fourth quarter with Andalusia up 13-7, Trinity made the call to go for it on fourth-and-two deep in Andalusia terrritory.
The Bulldog defense swarmed the ball carrier and shut down the play before it ever had a chance.
Two plays later, Weaver busted off an 83-yard run before he was pushed out of bounds at the Trinity 4-yard line.
Two plays later, Gurley chugged in from 3 yards out to put the Bulldogs on top 20-7.
Trinity got the ball back, but their drive didn’t last long as Morgan came away with an interception that he returned down the Trinity 3-yard line.
Andalusia couldn’t punch the ball in, but Burkhardt split the uprights from 21 yards to give the Bulldogs a 23-7 lead.
The next Trinity drive lasted just two plays as Morgan came up with a fumble to end the drive.
The Bulldogs just took a couple of knees on the following plays to run out the rest of the clock.
“Our defense played outstanding all night long,” Andalusia head coach Trent Taylor said. “We still have a long way to go on the offensive side of the ball, but we will get there. If the defense keeps playing the way they did tonight, we are going to be all right.”
Weaver had big night for the Bulldogs on offense, Taylor said.
“Roosevelt (Weaver) did a great job,” Taylor said. “We are running an offense where we are asking him to make a read on every play. If he had been playing quarterback the past few years, that wouldn’t be such a tall task, but he has been playing quarterback now for about five weeks. He will be the first to tell you that he has a lot to learn, but we feel like he as done a great job.”
The Bulldogs will be back at home next week when they take on No. 1-ranked UMS-Wright.