After not scoring in their first two games and being outscored 136-14, the W.S. Neal football team posted 14 points Friday night against No. 1 Jackson as they lost 54-14.

With the loss, the Eagles dropped to 0-3 overall and to 0-2 in region play as they welcome county rival Escambia County Blue Devils into town this week.

In the game Friday, Eagle head coach Kevin Jordan said his team lost to a good football team.

“They are ranked No. 1 in the state for a reason,” Jordan said. “They were really athletic and big and physical upfront and it was a tough loss for us. I was very happy with the way our kids competed though. We have some things that we need to continue to work on, but I was happy with the way they competed and they competed throughout the game.”

Jordan said a couple of turnovers early in the game, one at their 5-yard line, cut the Eagles down two scores early.“

Just that quick, we are down two scores,” Jordan said. “That is something that we have to work on. We have to do a better job of that. We have changed our pregame routine to try and get us off to a better start. We are looking at what we need to do to get off to a better start as a football team. We are digging ourselves a hole in every single ballgame. I don’t know what the answer is there but we are working on some things and we will continue to work on those things to get that problem.”

One good thing Jordan saw Friday was his team put some points on the board.

“We moved the ball well at times in the first half,” Jordan said. “Again, we miss a guy wide open and drop the ball other times. We did move the ball and that was good to the ball moving in the second half and I was proud of our kids for that. They played hard the entire ballgame and that is something we preach to them.”

This week, 2-1 Atmore comes into town after their first defeat Friday night at UMS-Wright, 31-6.

Jordan said the Blue Devils start with quarterback, No. 6, Ricco Stallworth.

“They will be the most athletic team we have played so far on both sides of the ball,” Jordan said. “They have got other good players besides him, but he is really the key. First of all, we are going to have to tackle him. He is big at 6-2, 210 pounds. He can really run and is powerful in his legs and he has a strong arm. We are going to have to tackle him well because he is used a lot in their running game.”

Jordan said they will use someone that will be responsible for Stallworth.

“He is the key for them,” Jordan said. “Other good players are there as they have athletes all over the place. They like to use No. 4, Nieko Williams, on crossing routes. No. 35, Christopher Smith, is their big power back in the backfield. They also throw the swing passes out in the flat. No. 24, Tyquaiz George, is another back they like to run I think. Ricco is the man though. We are going to have to contain him and not let him single-handedly win the game.”

Jordan also noted two big defensive tackles for the Blue Devils in No. 73 Tyler Nero and No. 79 Dalvin Craft.

“They are big and fast,” Jordan said. “But we have to make someone else beat us besides Stallworth. He is tough to tackle, but that is what UMS did, they tackled him.”

Game time is set for 7 p.m. in Atmore Friday night.