FULTONDALE– It was a tough night for the Bulldogs of Hanceville as they traveled to Fultondale to take on the Wildcats.
Hanceville started the game on their own 30 as a result of a Fultondale pooch kick. The Bulldogs started off the game with back-to-back rushes from B.J. Smalls for a total of 7 yards before a penalty for 12 men on the field pushed them back. R.J. Evans got them out of the hole with a 12-yard scamper for the first down. However, the nest three plays lost a total of 8 yards and forced a Hanceville punt.
The Bulldogs got the ball back two short plays later when the Wildcats runner coughed up the pigskin and Smalls fell on the loose ball, but the prosperity was short-lived. Bulldog quarterback Branen Hurst flung a pass to the near side of the field, but didn’t see the defender as Khalil Yow stepped in front of the intended pass and took it down the sideline 62-yards for the pick six and the first points of the game. Fultondale missed the PAT to take the 6-0 lead.
Following a three and out from Hanceville, the Wildcats found the end zone once again when Walter Blair carried the rock in from 22 yards out. The PAT split the uprights giving Fultondale the 13-0 lead after one.
The second quarter started with a Hanceville punt to set Fultondale up at their own 35. The Wildcats methodically moved the ball down the field led by Blair and Jason King. The drive was capped with a 5-yard TD plunge by Derrick Moore. The 2-point conversion was good, giving the Wildcats the 21-0 lead.
Late in the second quarter, Hanceville put together an impressive 17-play drive, but ran out of time as Hurst was sacked as the last seconds melted off the first half clock with Hanceville in a three touchdown hole.
Fultondale provided a spark that got the crowd on their feet to open the second half. Blair took the Hanceville kickoff at his own 18 and the rest was history as he sped 82 yards down the near sideline for the score, putting Fultondale on top 27-0 with just 14 seconds gone in the third quarter.
The Wildcats went on to score four more times in the quarter, including a 100-yard pick six from Freshman Jayson Jones.
Hanceville found pay dirt in the fourth on an 8-yard run by Romael Simmons and converted the 2-point play on a QB keeper by Hurst.
However, Fultondale added another late score to take the game by a final of 59-8.
Simmons led the Bulldogs with 12 carries for 103 yards and the lone Hanceville touchdown; Smalls added 17 carried for 52 yards.
Hanceville takes on Vinemont nest week in a county showdown.
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