Bad snaps and a string of penalties plagued Escambia County tonight as the Blue Devils fell 26-0 to No. 3 Hillcrest-Evergreen in region action in Atmore.

The Blue Devils compiled some 40 yards in penalties in the first half, which the Jaguars took advantage. In the middle of the first quarter, both teams got into a scuffle and players were ejected from both sides.

By halftime, the Jaguars led by the final tally.

ECHS came out in the second half a little more settled, and with some momentum, but couldn’t get anything going offensively.

Defensively, the Blue Devils (2-1, 0-1 in Class 4A, Region 1) held the Jaguars at bay, making good stops on the field.

“We just got to stay out of our own way,” ECHS head coach Rico Jackson said about what he learned on the field tonight. “We just got to stay out of our own way.”

Jackson added that the boys will learn how to fight through adversity.

Next week, the Blue Devils host W.S. Neal — who lost 46-13 to Clarke County — in region action in Atmore.

Jackson said the focus next week at practice will be centered around fixing the fixable errors.

“I thought we kind of came out a little bit shook in the first half,” he said. “We were settled in the second half.”
Jackson said even though it’s a tough loss, the year is long.

“They’re (Hillcrest-Evergreen) No. 3 in the state for a reason,” he said.

Scoring for the Jaguars and notable plays in the first half include:

• Andray Pope rushed 7 yards for a touchdown. With the 2-point conversion, the Jaguars led 8-0. The Blue Devils helped the Jaguars with a bad snap from their own 38 a play previous.

• The Jaguars earned a safety with 8:31 left in the first quarter on a Blue Devil holding call from Atmore’s 2. HEHS led 10-0.

• Malik Brown grabbed an interception, but the Jaguars got the ball back with 14.5 seconds left in the first quarter.

• Hillcrest-Evergreen’s Deondre Mitchell completed a 23-yard touchdown pass to Jacobee Bryant with 11:20 left in the second quarter. HEHS led 16-0 after the extra point was no good.

• Another bad snap by ECHS led to a safety for the Jaguars with 9:05 left in the second. HEHS led 18-0.

• Hillcrest-Evergreen’s Jailen Johnson scooted in from 3 yards with 1:21 left in the first half. With the extra point attempt, the Jaguars led 26-0.