BREMEN, Ala. – Cold Springs and Meek kicked off the 2020 season at Cold Springs High School Friday night and each had to overcome the weather as well as their opponent. After getting most of the first quarter in the books, a 45-minute lightning delay sent both teams to the locker room. Once the game resumed, Cold Springs began to create some separation. However, the Tigers climbed back into the game late in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t quite enough, and the Eagles held on to win it 43-40.
Meek got on the board first after David Tidwell hit Cam Deaver at the goal line for a 4-yard touchdown pass and the two-point conversion made it 8-0. Cold Springs responded on the ensuing possession and after driving the ball down into the red zone, a Brodi Williams fumble bounced right back into his hands and he carried it into the end zone from 12 yards out to cut the lead to 8-7 with five minutes to play in the first. The Eagles came back from the weather delay and added to their lead when Ayden Alexander punched one in from 8 yards out to make it a 14-8 game.
Alexander scored another touchdown from five yards out to make it 21-8 early in the second quarter and a 58-yard bomb from Williams to Izaiah Estell put the Eagles on top 28-8 with four minutes to play in the half. An interception by Houston Goodwin just before the half maintained the 28-8 advantage for Cold Springs going into the break.
The Tigers came out and scored early in the third quarter on a 1-yard dive from Matthew Clark, but another touchdown run from Alexander kept the Eagles in front 35-16 midway through the third. A 4-yard touchdown run by Deaver cut into the lead early in the fourth quarter but Alexander answered with his fourth touchdown of the night, this time from 30 yards out to make it a 43-24 game with five minutes to play.
Meek would not lay down, and after forcing a couple of turnovers and finding the end zone two more times thanks to Clark and another touchdown pass from Tidwell to Kendick Smith trimmed the lead to 43-40 with just 20 seconds to play but the Eagles recovered the onside kick attempt and held on to win their season opener 43-40.
Alexander racked up a whopping 306 yards and four touchdowns on the ground while Williams added a score on the ground and through the air as well. Clark led the Tigers with 139 yards and two touchdowns in the loss, followed by Deaver with 62 yards and a score. Tidwell finished with a pair of touchdown passes for Meek.
Eagles Head Coach Justin Cornelius is now 1-0 in his tenure at Cold Springs and his first win came against his alma mater. He’s proud of the energy his guys showed in the first game but says there will be plenty for his kids and himself to work on this week.
“They held their own. They did well and came out with energy and we played hard. That’s all I can ask for, you know,” Cornelius said. “I told them, this is my first time too so I’m learning too but I was happy for them and I’m proud of them. I love those guys, they’re troopers. We let it get pretty close and it was shaky there at the end, but we pulled it out and I’m proud of them. Those Meek guys worked hard, and they’ve improved a lot from last year.” Cold Springs will travel to Holly Pond next week and try to stay in the win column while Meek returns home to host Winston County in the Tigers’ home opener.
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