HANCEVILLE – Addison now has a victory against each team in the Cullman County school system on the football field.
A 13-0 shutout of the Hanceville Bulldogs Friday night is the first by Addison in this series that resumed for the first time since 1951 when Hanceville won that season 13-6.
Hanceville leads the all times series 3-1.
In its history of lining up against opponents from the Cullman County school system, Addison is 78-29. This series had a chance to continue after 63 years of being absent when both schools needed a fourth opponent outside of their respective regional schedule.
Addison is a 2A program, competing in Region 6 while Hanceville has been a long time participant in Class 3A, this season meeting opponents in a 7-team Region 5.
Coming off getting run over by Vinemont's John Michael Dye the previous week 45-20, Hanceville knew they would have to play a very physical game and control the line of scrimmage with an Addison unit that physically beat up Falkville the previous Friday on the road 42-7.
Taking the opening kickoff and driving from its 24, Hanceville made a statement as the home standing Bulldogs took it down to the Addison 10-yard line and was on the verge of getting the ball into the end zone.
But couple of negative plays due to fumbled snaps sent Hanceville in the other direction. The Bulldogs gave up possession on downs at the Addison 20 with 6:33 to go in the first quarter.
After Addison fell on a Hanceville fumble at the 44, the visiting Bulldogs again drove and gained one first down. But they were stopped on a pass play on fourth and five and Hanceville took over from its 30 with 1:02 showing in a scoreless first period.
It stayed scoreless until Addison took over from its 35 after the defense again kept Hanceville short of a first down and started its final series of the half with 4:47 remaining and the game still 0-0.
A 27-yard run by running back Kolby Kirk was the longest play in the series that took 13 snaps for the visitors to punch the ball into the end zone. Four different backs carried the ball in the series as it ended on a one-yard dive off right guard by Kyle Denson with only 22 seconds to play in the half.
The extra point from Ronnie Willette sent Addison in front 7-0.
Starting the second half with the football, Addison continued what it did to end the second quarter. A very impressive 70-yard march that ate up 8:41 of the quarter ended when Hunter Ray tossed a 13-yard pass to Devin Marlin on fourth down.
The extra point failed and the visitors were up 13-0 as the third period had only 3:13 left in it.
Getting the ball for the first time in the second half, Hanceville took it from its 23 and again used a series of good plays to put them in range of getting the ball toward the Addison 20.
However, the drive stalled and Hanceville for the third time on the night, turned it over on downs with Addison getting the ball at its 26.
That series was followed by another defensive stand with Hanceville stopping Addison short of a first down and gaining possession at its 24 with 3:40 to go in the game, still behind 13-0.
Marlin came up with his biggest play on the defensive side in intercepting a Hayden Loggins pass at the Hanceville 30.
From there, Addison picked up a first down and was able to run out the clock and head back to Winston County 3-2 on the season and 2-0 vs. teams from Cullman County this season.
Despite being shutout for the first time this year, Hanceville had some decent numbers from the statistical part of the game. Loggins completed five passes for 92 yards, Austin Coker ran for 35 yards through the first half and the Bulldogs didn't allow any Addison runner to gain more than 70 yards in the game.
Freshman Benjamin Robinson finished with 69 while Kirk gained 38 yards and Denson had 31 and the lone rushing TD.
Ray completed four of six passes for 41 yards in his first start after having to replace starter John Everett who sustained ligament damage in his knee from the Falkville game and is out for the rest of the season.
Addison has allowed seven points in the last two games, with the only score coming against them from the Falkville contest being a punt return of 70 yards.
Coach David Smothers' team takes off for the upcoming week then resumes Region 6 play on October 3 when the Bulldogs welcome Cold Springs to Addison.
Danny Miller's Hanceville unit fell to 0-4. They encounter a Cullman County foe this coming Friday when the undefeated West Point Warriors pay a visit to Ray Talley Stadium.
