DOUBLE SPRINGS, Ala. – Addison opened up its 2024 season on the road, just about 17 miles west, to play the 2A Winston County Yellow Jackets. It has now been three years since Addison was able to claim a victory over its archrivals and Addison was looking forward to ending the streak. Well, the streak goes on because Addison was dominated in a game that after the first ten minutes, wasn’t as close as the score would indicate, dropping its first game of the season 48-13.
Addison received the opening kickoff in a standing room only Malcolm Blake Memorial Stadium and it started out badly. On Addison’s first play from scrimmage, a Bulldogs backwards pass, WCHS’s Brock Yeager decleated the Addison player and forced a fumble. WCHS recovered the ball on the Bulldog 14-yard line.
It took the Jackets four plays to go the 14 yards to score the touchdown. Jacket #56, Yeager, ran the ball in from the 4-yard line for the touchdown. It is unusual for a lineman number to run the football, but Mr. Yeager is a jack of all trades as it turns out. Jacket Garrett Lewis nailed the extra point and at the 9:38 mark of the first quarter, WCHS led 7-0.
The Bulldogs took the shot to the mouth in stride as they came rumbling back. Addison went to a wing tee formation, seven linemen, with a QB and three running backs in the backfield. Addison went fifty yards on nine plays for the touchdown. The midfield starting position was due to a 29-yard kick return by Owen Pratt. Addison was led on the drive by five different running backs gaining the 50 yards. Seth Hammack scampered in from 7 yards out for the tying touchdown. Wyatt Anderson kicked the extra point to tie the game at 7 at 4:46 of the first quarter.
WCHS answered right back on their next drive. WCHS drove down to the Bulldog 1-yard line and the only controversy of the night occurred. On first down, Jacket QB Landon Kelley appeared to have scored the go-ahead touchdown on the short run. Bulldog Zayne Smith came out with the ball and scampered 99-yards for the Bulldog touchdown. The officials never indicated a Jacket touchdown and didn’t blow the whistle prior to the fumble call. When Smith crossed the goal line, it was ruled a Bulldog touchdown. After about a 90 second delay, the officials huddled and negated the Bulldog touchdown and signaled that Kelley had scored for the Jackets. Lewis nailed the extra point and the Jackets led 14-7 with two minutes to go in the first quarter.
The Jackets forced a Bulldog punt and got the ball back at their own 42-yard line. It didn’t take Kelley long to find the best athlete on the field in Jacket RB Chris Clemons for a touchdown pass of 34-yards. Kelley did an outstanding job of pump faking the curl and Clemons went deep and made a very nice diving catch for the score. Lewis again nailed the extra point and WCHS led 21-7 with 5:57 to go in the second quarter.
After forcing a Bulldog fumble on the first play of the series, Jacket Kelley again found Clemons on the first play of their drive for another 34-yard touchdown throw and catch. Again, Clemons made a diving grab for the score. The Addison CB actually had very good coverage on Clemons on the play, it was just a better throw and catch. Lewis kicked the extra point and this is how the first half would end with Addison trailing WCHS 28-7.
The Bulldogs kicked off and Clemons, Mr. I can do it all, returned the ball all the way back to the Bulldog 40-yard line. Four plays later, Kelley hooked up with Rakim Moore on a little swing pass and Moore took it 18-yards for the score. Lewis nailed the point after and with 9:58 left in the third quarter, WCHS led 35-7.
After a Bulldog three and out, the Jackets took over at their own 38. Four plays later, Kelley hit Clemons for another 24-yard touchdown grab to push the lead to ugliness. Another Lewis PAT split the uprights and the score was WCHS 42, Addison 7.
Another three and out and the Jackets took over at their 30-yard line. The Jackets chose to run clock on this drive and took 12 plays to go the 70 yards for their final touchdown of the evening. Jackets backup QB Will Elliott ran it in from 2 yards out for the TD. The point after was no good so with 6:23 left in the game the score was Jackets 48, Bulldogs 7.
After several possession swaps, the Bulldogs were able to add a late touchdown as Smith scored from 10 yards out. The two-point attempt was no good and this is how the game ended with the Winston County Yellow Jackets winning 48-13 over the Bulldogs from Addison.
Addison will host 2A powerhouse Decatur Heritage next week. Winston County will travel to play county foe Meek.
Unofficial stats
Addison rushed the ball 40 times for 133 yards. Addison passed the ball 5 times for 13 yards. Addison ran 45 total plays for 146 total yards. WCHS rushed the ball 33 times for 244 yards. WCHS passed the ball 8 times for 110 yards. WCHS ran 41 total plays for 354 total yards.
Addison’s Kaden Dyson had 3 completions in 5 attempts for 13 yards. Winston County’s Landon Kelley went 4 out of 8 for 110 yards and four touchdowns.
Addison was led in rushing by Seth Hammack who had 11 carries for 51 yards and a touchdown. Wyatt Anderson had 5 carries for 32 yards. Zayne Smith had 6 carries for 30 yards and a touchdown. WCHS was led in rushing by Chris Clemons who had 8 carries for 92 yards. Kelley had 11 carries for 73 yards with a touchdown. Will Elliott had 8 carries for 48 yards and a touchdown. Brock Yeager had 2 carries for 9 yards and a touchdown.
Addison was led in receiving yards by Judah Wilkins who had 2 catches for 10 yards. Winston County was led by Clemons who had 3 catches for 92 yards and 3 scores. Rakim Moore had 1 grab for 18 yards and a touchdown.
On defense Addison was led by Brye Dollar with 7 tackles and a recovered fumble. Dyson had 6 tackles. Scout Flynn had 5 tackles. Brodie Willingham, Jaxson Williams and Bradley Willette had 3 tackles each.
Winston County was led by Yeager with 6 tackles and half of a sack. Moore had 5 tackles. Walker Lewis and Parker Shannon had 4 each. Austin Schubert and Cam Aderholt had 3 each. Aderholt also had a half sack.
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