SEBASTOPOL 35, SE LAUDERDALE 0
The Sebastopol Bobcats may not have started fast but they finished strong.
After sputtering on their first two drives, the Sebastopol Bobcats scored on five straight possessions and took a 35-0 shutout win over visiting Southeast Lauderdale on Friday night.
Sebastopol improves to 4-0 on the season and will host rival Leake County for homecoming.
Despite the shutout win, coach Keith Brown said it wasn’t a perfect because of a slow start by the Bobcats.
“Again, I was disappointed in how we started out slow,” Brown said. “We just couldn’t get anything going on the first two drives and it was 0-0 after the first quarter. But then we scored on the next five possessions and played lights out on defense. And it’s always special when you pitch a shutout. I was proud of our effort and how we finished. Everybody got to play and that’s always a good thing.”
The Bobcats started slow on offense as they went three and out on their first two series but also forced Southeast to turn the ball over one downs and punt twice.
The Bobcats finally got going on offense in the second quarter as they marched 80 yards in 10 plays and Andrius McDougle scored on a 5-yard run. Noah Atkinson hit the PAT and Sebastopol led 7-0.
The Tigers then lost a fumble that Byron Bell recovered. Five plays later, Jake Kimble scored on an 8-yard run. Atkinson hit the PAT and Sebastopol led 14-0.
After another three and out by the Southeast Lauderdale offense, the Bobcats went 58 yards in just three plays. After a 41-yard run by Kimble, McDougle scored on a 3-yard run with 2:17 left in the fist half. Atkinson hit the PAT and Sebastopol led 21-0, a score they took into the first half.
“We came in wanting to mix things up on offense and throw it,” Brown said. “But we started dominating the line of scrimmage in the second quarter and just stuck with the run and they didn’t stop it. We just stayed with what was working. The backs and offensive line had a big night.”
The Bobcats got the ball to start the second half and put the game away as they went 65 yards in 12 plays. McDougle capped off the drive with an 18-yard run. Atkinson hit the PAT and the Bobcats led 28-0.
After another Southeast punt, the Bobcats got the clock running as McDougle scored on an 80-yard run. Atkinson hit the PAT and the Bobcats led 35-0.
“They had a big back and our defense swarmed to the football,” Brown said. “I was glad to see that. They hurt us some in the first quarter and we were kind of flat. But we picked it up and continued to get them off the field. I thought the defense played really well. And I thought we were really good in the kicking game as well.”
The Bobcats had 335 yards of total offense with 320 yards rushing and just 15 passing.
McDougle had 163 yards and four TDs on 17 carries while Kimble had 122 yards on 15 carries. Keon Nicks had 30 yards on five carries.
Trey Wilson led the defense with five tackles and a sack while Bryan Bell had four tackles and a fumble recovery. Micheal Stewart and Cannon Jenkins each had four tackles apiece while Jamarius Lay, T.J. White and Kenyon White each had three tackles apiece. Kimble, Aiden Wilson and Jaylin Hughes each had two tackles apiece.
