Second-half surge leads Wildcats to big region win
Taylor Beck | For the Sentinel
The Scottsboro football team avoided its first half-time deficit of the season, then made sure they would never trail thanks to a dominant second half.
Trailing 13-10 midway through the second quarter, the Class 5A No. 6-ranked Scottsboro Wildcats scored 35 unanswered points to escape Arthur Jarvis Stadium with a 45-13 win over the Douglas Eagles on Friday night.
It’s the second consecutive 4-0 start of Scottsboro, which also improved to 2-0 in Class 5A Region 8.
The matchup was a close battle in the first half.
Douglas received the opening kickoff and drove down the field 68 yards to take a 7-0 lead with 5:18 remaining in the first quarter. Douglas quarterback Cason Walls capped off the 16-play drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Brody Campbell.
Scottsboro’s ensuing drive came to a halt at the Eagles 25-yards line, but the Wildcats wouldn’t end their possession empty-handed. Scottsboro answered Douglas’ score with a 40-yard field goal by placekicker Cole Raeuchle to trim the Eagles lead to 7-3 with under one minute to play in the first quarter.
After forcing a Douglas punt, Scottsboro’s next drive ended with a 4-yard touchdown run by quarterback Jake Jones, giving the Wildcats a 10-7 lead with 7:19 remaining in the second quarter.
Douglas answered the call with another touchdown drive to regain the lead 13-10 with 4:18 to play in the half. Walls connect with Campbell for a 18-yd touchdown pass, their second of the night. The PAT was blocked.
To end the half, Scottsboro’s Jones powered his way into the end zone again from 6 yards out to take a 17-13 into the locker room.
Scottsboro went on to outscore the Eagles 28-0 in the second half.
With 7:26 to play in the third quarter, Wildcats running back Brandon Edmondson Jr. reached the end zone on a 6-yard run to widen the Scottsboro lead to 24-13.
Less than a minute later, Scottsboro defensive back Kasch Mateo intercepted a pass from Walls and returned it to the 50 yard line. The Wildcats took advantage of the turnover and scored four plays later — a 10-yard scamper from Jones to give Scottsboro a 31-13 lead.
After forcing a Douglas three-and-out, Scottsboro took possession at their own 15. But three plays into the drive, running back Antonio Brocks coughed up the football and Douglas defensive lineman Landon Stewart recovered the fumble at the 45 yard line. But the Eagles failed to take advantage and punted the football away just a few plays later.
Just before the third quarter ended, with less than 5 seconds on the clock, Scottsboro’s Jones ripped off a 60-yard touchdown run, giving the Wildcats a 38-13 lead — his fourth and final TD of the night. Jones finished the game with an unofficial total of 270 yards rushing on 23 carries. He also completed 5-of-8 passes for 78 yards.
With 8:22 remaining in the fourth quarter, Scottsboro’s Edmondson broke loose for a 65-yard touchdown run to give the Wildcats a 45-13 lead. Edmondson ended the game with 150 yards rushing and two scores on 16 touches.
Walls completed 18-of-31 passes for an unofficial total of 177 yards and two touchdowns for Douglas (2-1, 0-1).
