ARAB, Ala. – After knocking off Albertville on the road 13-6 last week in the season opener, the Arab Knights returned home to host the hated Wildcats of Guntersville Thursday night. The score was knotted at 7 early in the second quarter but some costly turnovers and explosive plays allowed Guntersville to pull away and win it 35-9, dropping the Knights to 1-1 so far on the season.
Arab forced a turnover on downs on the Wildcats’ opening drive but after forcing a couple of punts by the Knights, Guntersville got on the board with a 34-yard touchdown pass that made it 7-0 late in the first quarter. Arab responded at the start of the second after the Wildcats dropped a snap on the 1-yard line and allowed the Knights to recover and take over just a few feet from the end zone. Quarterback Alex Alcala punched it in for a touchdown just one play later and after the extra point, the game was tied at 7.
Things went south for Arab after that. A 20-yard touchdown pass on their ensuing possession gave the Wildcats a 14-7 lead and they were able to haul in back to back pick sixes on the Knights’ next two possessions. The huge defensive plays quickly made it a 28-7 game midway through the second quarter but just before the half, a safety put two points on the board for Arab and the Knights went into the locker room trailing 28-9 at the break.
Guntersville held onto its lead through a scoreless third quarter and after a mostly scoreless final frame, Arab’s Jacob Cobb picked off a pass at the goal line to keep the Wildcats out of the end zone. However, the Wildcats were eventually able to get on the board one more time with a 14-yard touchdown pass that stretched the lead to 35-9 with just under three minutes to play. Guntersville held on to win it 35-9.
Mathew Turnage led the Knights with 30 yards on the ground in the loss and Alcala finished with Arab’s lone touchdown on the night. The Knights turned the ball over five times in the loss and allowed just over 100 yards on the ground and just under 200 through the air.
Arab will return home next week to host Fort Payne and will celebrate senior night before kickoff.
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