HANCEVILLE – The Hanceville seniors were looking to go out with a win in their last game played at home, but Locust Fork had other plans as they got by the Bulldogs, 49-35.
Locust Fork did not waste any time getting on the scoreboard on their first series of the night. Big runs by quarterback Chase Rice, Tyler Clevenger and Drew Rogers put the Hornets in business at the 27-yard line and on the next play, Rogers went around the right side and scored, but it was called back because of a block in the back. On the very next snap, they ran the same play and this time, Rogers scored on a 20-yard run to put Locust Fork on the board with 8:20 remaining in the first quarter.
Hanceville looked to answer on their first series as they started on their 15-yard line, with B.J. Smalls carrying the load for the Bulldogs as he gained 47 of the 85 yards. Alex Campbell and Kaine Yates each got first downs on this drive as well, with help from the Hornets, who got two costly penalties- pass interference and a face mask- which put Hanceville at the 3-yard line. Smalls finished it off from there to tie the game at 6 with 3:59 remaining in the first quarter. The Hornets started their next drive at the 46-yard line and used the running game, again, to their advantage, with Rice finishing the drive with a 1-yard quarterback sneak to break the tie and give the Hornets a 13-6 lead with 29 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
After forcing the Bulldogs to turn the ball over on downs to start the second quarter, Locust Fork looked to take advantage. But on the very first play, Rogers fumbled the ball and Yates recovered at the 48-yard line. After an 8-yard loss on first down, Smalls found a big hole on the left side and scored on a 61-yard run. Hanceville converted the 2-pointer to take the lead 14-13 with 10:18 remaining in the first half.
On their next series, Laine Terry took off on a 37-yard run on an end-around run to set Locust Fork up at the 18-yard line. After getting 9 yards on the next play, back-to-back false start penalties pushed them back, but they redeemed themselves two plays later as Clevenger found Terry all alone in the end zone on a 14-yard pass play to put the Hornets back up 20-14 with 7:39 remaining in the half.
The Bulldogs went 3-and-out on their next series and the Hornets took over at the 33-yard line. They went 67 yards on just six plays, and Rogers found the end zone again on a 3-yard run to push the lead up to 27-14 with 3:09 remaining in the first half. Hanceville looked to score before the half as R.J. Evans, along with Smalls, helped move them down the field, but an offensive pass interference penalty pushed the Bulldogs back to the 40-yard line. Locust Fork got called for a personal foul on the next play, but Hanceville ended the half on the wrong foot as Clevenger picked off a Campbell pass.
Hanceville started their first series of the third quarter strong as Smalls and Evans picked up four straight first downs combined on their first four plays, and two plays later, Campbell kept the ball himself and scored on a 1-yard run to cut the lead to 27-21 with 9:27 remaining in the third quarter.
Clevenger gave Locust Fork excellent field position as he returned the kickoff to their 47-yard line. After Terry picked up a first down on a 13-yard run, it went downhill from there for the Hornets as three plays later, Kaleb Davis leveled a Locust Fork receiver, which caused him to fumble the ball, and once again, Yates recovered for the Bulldogs. But on the next series, Campbell got picked off by Charlie Cater.
On the first play of their next series, Rice took the handoff from Clevenger and was not even touched as he scampered 38 yards for a touchdown as the Hornets extended their lead to 34-21 with 6:30 remaining in the third quarter.
Hanceville looked to respond after the turnover on their last series. Smalls carried the ball for 19 yards on three carries before he got hurt and did not play for the rest of the game. Behind Evans, Campbell, and Owen Harper, and a face mask penalty on the Hornets, the Bulldogs moved the ball to the 13-yard line and Campbell found Yates in the end zone on the very next play to cut the lead to 34-27 with 1:34 remaining in the third quarter.
The end-around runs continued to haunt Hanceville all night as Jarrett Peoples, along with Rogers and Rice, continued to rack up the rushing yards for Locust Fork and Terry finished the next drive with a 13-yard touchdown run on the left side to push the lead to 41-27 with 10:49 remaining in the game. The Hornets recovered a Bulldog fumble as Alan Glasscock came up with the ball and Rogers broke free for a 43-yard touchdown scamper, widening the lead to 49-27 with 9:53 remaining in the game.
Back-to-back turnovers on downs by both teams gave the Bulldogs the ball back at the 13-yard line. On just the second play, Evans found a big hole on the left side and took off for an 87-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 49-35, which ended up being the final score.
Rogers touched the ball 13 times for 152 yards and three touchdowns, and he had a reception for 6 yards as well. Rice carried the ball seven times for 70 yards and three touchdowns. Clevenger went 2 for 3 for 20 yards with a touchdown and carried the ball four times for 49 yards. Terry had 98 yards on just six touches and a touchdown. Malcom Morgan, Rogers, Cater, Clevenger, Aaron Ray and a few others were big on defense for the Hornets. Locust Fork improved to 7-2 on the season and 4-1 in the region with a huge region game coming up against Fultondale next week for the top spot.
Smalls had a big game, gaining 203 yards on 23 touches and two touchdowns. Campbell went 1 for 5 for 13 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. Plus, he had 8 yards on seven carries and a touchdown. Evans finished with 213 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown. Yates had a catch for 13 yards, but it went for the touchdown, plus he had two fumble recoveries. Davis, Trey Martin, Tristin Cornelius and a few others were some of the standouts for Hanceville. Hanceville has a bye week next week and then they will take on Good Hope in the regular season finale.
"Campbell had a great game tonight,” Hanceville coach Craig Flanigan said. "Evans is still learning. But the future of Hanceville football is very bright."
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