By By Zach Brooks
Sports Writer
The Escambia County Blue Devils played the B.C. Rain Raiders last Friday night in a hard-fought area game at Trimmear Park in Mobile.
Despite the Devils offense having over 330 yards of total offense, they lost the 34-20. Blue Devil Head Coach Frankie Bell said, "Despite the loss I am proud of our boys for not quitting, and we will go back next week in practice and try to correct the mistakes we made tonight that lost us the game."
On the opening kickoff of the game B.C. Rain fumbled the kickoff on the fifteen yard-line, but recovered the ball to keep the drive going. Two plays later, Rain fumbled, and the Blue Devils recovered to give them the ball on the Rain ten yard-line. After two Antonio Richardson carries, he put the ball in the endzone from four yards out to make the score 6-0.The conversion was no good, however so the score remained 6-0. On B.C. Rain's next drive, they took the ball downfield and scored to make the score 6-6. They converted the extra-point to pull ahead 7-6.
With 6:16 left in the second quarter B.C. Rain scored again on a 45-yard touchdown bomb to make the score 13-6. Rain converted the extra-point to make the score14-6. Neither team scored again the rest of the half, so at halftime the score was 14-6.
With 9:13 left in the third quarter, Rain fumbled on the 45 yard-line to give the Devils great field position to start the half. The Devils could not capitalize on the turnover however, and had to punt.
After the punt, B.C. Rain drove down the field and scored a touchdown with 5:53 left in the third quarter to make the score 20-6. The Raiders then, converted the extra-point to make the score 21-6.
With 11:16 left in the 4th quarter the Raiders scored again on an eight yard toss sweep to make the score 27-6. The conversion was not good, so the score remained 27-6.
With 8:48 left, the Devils got a 35 yard gain on a long bomb from Dereke Martin to James Wilson. Then with 7:24 left, the Devils used a razzle-dazzle 50 yard half-back pass from Chris Simpson to James Wilson to make the score 27-13. The conversion was no good, so the score remained 27-13. The Devils then, tried an onside kick that was recovered by the Raiders on their 45 yard-line.
After the recovery, the Raiders marched downfield and scored their last touchdown on four-yard touchdown run to make the score 34-12. With 28.6 seconds left on the clock, Chris Simpson scored on a marvelous seven-yard touchdown run to make the score 34-18. The Devils then converted the extra-point to make the score 34-20.
B.C. Rain recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock to end the game.
The loss drops the Devils to 1-7 and knocks them out of area playoff contention.
Coach Bell said, "We moved the ball well against them but they just made more big plays then we did." Bell said, "We gave up too many big plays to against a good team like B.C. Rain." Bell added, "We have to forget this game and concentrate on a good Blount team next week."
Simpson lead the Devils in rushing with 17 carries for 107 yards and a touchdown. Antonio Richardson also had 20 carries for 92 yards and one touchdown. Dereke Martin had 34 yards on eight carries and passed for 35 more yards.
James Wilson lead the Blue Devils in receiving with two catches for 90 yards and one touchdown.
Stephen Gray and Albert Williams lead the Devils in tackles with five apiece. Nick Brown, Harold Lambert, and James Wilson also had four tackles for the Devils.
Next week, ECHS will play the Blount Leopards at home. The game will start at 7:30.