By BY BRUCE HIXON – SPORTS EDITOR
Andalusia saved the best blow for last. It also turned out to be the only blow.
The Bulldogs got a 23-yard touchdown run from Dekard Marshall with 3:23 left in the game to notch a 6-0 win over the W.S. Neal Middle School Blue Eagles in Thursday's two-quarter exhibition contest at W.S. Neal Stadium.
W.S. Neal's defense allowed just 90 yards of total offense in the game, but 42 of those came on the winning drive that began with 6:29 left in the second quarter.
The Blue Eagles were in position top stop the drive in its early stages. The Bulldogs were faced with a third-and-11 from the W.S. Neal when Marshall picked up 10 yards and reduced it to a fourth-and-one. Andalusia then picked up the first down when the Blue Eagles jumped offside.
A five-yard run by Justin Woods followed the penalty
and set up Marshall's winning run.
W.S. Neal's defense dodged a threat in the opening quarter when the Bulldogs drove from their own 47 to the W.S. Neal 14. The key play was an 18-yard completion from Stewart Studstill to Deon Atkins on a third-and-two that took the ball to the W.S. Neal 18.
It all went for naught three plays later when Hunter Mullins picked off a pass by Studstill and returned it to the Blue Eagles' 23.
W.S. Neal's offense was unable to get anything going. Andalusia's defense did not allow a first down and held the Blue Eagles to minus 16 yards of total offense. Only two of the 12 plays W.S. Neal ran on offense went for positive yardage. Both of those came from Marquese Banks on runs of four and five yards.
W.S. Neal officially begins its season Sept. 6 at T.R. Miller High School when it meets Brewton Middle School at 6 p.m.