Eagles Head Coach Stephen Robinson talks with his offense during Friday night's loss to Fultondale. (Nick Griffin for The Cullman Tribune)
VINEMONT – The Eagles played a tough, physical game at home against Fultondale Friday night, but they just couldn’t get enough offense going to keep them in the game after halftime. Vinemont came up short, 33-12.
The Wildcats scored on their first possession of the game with a 4-yard touchdown to go up 7-0, but the Eagles’ defense responded by keeping Fultondale from finding the end zone until the third quarter.
It was a difficult night for Vinemont on offense. The Eagles had just 61 yards of offense at the half, all of which came on the ground, but the defense was able to keep them within reach by holding Fultondale to just two more field goals in the half. Senior safety Dustin Moore picked off a Wildcat pass in the final seconds of the second quarter and took it 98 yards the other way for a score, but a penalty on the return kept Vinemont off the board. After running one more play to end the half, the Eagles went into the locker room trailing 13-0.
The second half started well for Vinemont with the defense forcing a punt on Fultondale’s first possession of the third quarter. Unfortunately for Eagles fans, they were not able to capitalize on the defensive stop as Vinemont fumbled the ball inside its own 10-yard line, setting up a 2-yard touchdown run that put the Wildcats up 19-0.
After another Eagle punt, Fultondale stretched its lead to 26-0 with a screen pass that went 45 yards for a touchdown. Vinemont fumbled the ball again on the ensuing possession, but senior defensive back Cam Carter got the ball back to his offense just a few plays later with an interception at the goal line.
Vinemont’s offense was able to get on the scoreboard early in the fourth quarter after junior quarterback Jack Hill punched in a touchdown from 2-yards out to cut the lead to 26-6. The Wildcats responded quickly with a 28-yard touchdown run on their next possession to go up 33-6 and ice the 3A, Region 5 win.
Vinemont played every snap in this one, and the Eagle offense went down the field to score on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Hill to junior wideout Lucas Miller as time expired to make it a 33-12 final.
The loss brings Vinemont’s record to 2-4 this fall with another regional matchup on the road against Locust Fork coming up next week.
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