Devils fall to Faith in shootout
Published 6:00 am Saturday, September 29, 2012
The Escambia County High School Blue Devils fell to 1-4 on the year Friday night in a tough, 3-point, 35-32 loss to Faith Academy during a game that quickly turned into an offensive shootout.
Blue Devil head coach Lev Holly said all of the offensive production in the world will not add up to wins if turnovers and penalties persist.
“We have to finish,” Holly said. “Like I’ve said a thousand times, we just have to finish possessions, finish games and not put the ball on the ground.”
The Devils certainly jumped out to a good start in Friday’s match-up, scoring twice in the first quarter off a 6-yard touchdown pass from Chris Johnson to Imani Gray and a 61-yard touchdown scamper from running back Tyjustine Brown to give ECHS a 12-7 lead heading into the second quarter.
But the Rams would answer early in the second period wit a touchdown pass of their own.
ECHS found a spark late in the first half with a touchdown series on the back of LaDereis Payne, who found the end zone after going 49 yards on four plays to give the Devils an 18-14 lead heading into half time.
The two potent offenses traded scores in the second half, but with just under two minutes to play the Rams found themselves with a fourth and goal from the Devils’ 2-yard line. Despite a tough defensive series, ECHS could not stop the Rams, who drove in for a game winning score with under a minute to play.
Holly said improvements must be made before his team travels to No.-6 ranked Thomasville next Friday.
“We have to work to see what we have to do before we face a tough Thomasville team,” he said.
Next week’s game gets started in Thomasville next Friday night at 7 p.m.