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Wildcats pick up rare season opening win It was a nervous week leading up to the Wildcats 2012 season kick-off and whether the weather would hinder the beginning of the season. However, after a week of watching the news and waiting around for Hurricane Isaac to not arrive another storm was brewing inside the "Gulf of Mathews' Stadium" and the visiting Lions of Central Hayneville felt the onslaught of scores began from the opening drive to the ending drive as Florala took out years of season opener famine. Florala historically has not performed well in season openers and since 1980 has won only seven contest. The Wildcats have experience only two decades with winning records. During the 1920's Florala won five, lost four and tied once and experienced their best season opening margin of victory a 56-0 win over Rawls. The Wildcats had their best decade in the seventies mainly on the back of one of Alabama's winningest coaches as Paul Terry went undefeated in his five starts (4-0-1) and Mike Sasser won his only season opener as Florala posted a 7-3 mark. As Friday's opening kick-off neared the excitement of Wildcat fans begin to build in a feverous pace as the standing room only home stand crowd watched the Lions pace past with verbal assaults targets at the Florala mascot. This only built the intensity of the storm continuing to brew in Green & White as the "pigskin" was placed on the tee. Once the ball rested in the hands of senior running back Desmond Smiley at the 10-yard line the crowd erupted in a "growl" of expectation. Smiley headed to the West sideline and outpaced a Central defender before cutting back across the grain to a roarous crowd of a return that ended 53-yards later to the 37-yard line. Senior quarterback Austin McNeill proceeded guiding the storm on a six play 37-yard drive that ended on a McNeill to John Bess 21-yard touchdown pass only exceeded in excitement during the extra point. As Bess lined up to attempt the PAT (point after touchdown), an errand snap send McNeill scrambling to his right and with Central defenders grasping a the QB, McNeill found #18 Tamaris Jamison in the end zone for a 2-pt conversion pushing Florala's led to 8-0 at the 8:30 mark. Central Hayneville felt more of the "Wildcat storm" on their first series of plays as #34 took off for what appeared to be a 68-yard touchdown run, but a block-in-the-back penalty ended their score and two plays later Florala recovered a fumble and took position at their own 38-yard line McNeill and company picked up where the storm ended and on their second play from scrimmage - John Bess was found by McNeill for a 37-yard reception and a Lion penalty pushed the ball twenty-two yards from the end zone. Senior Gavin McCurley followed a McNeill 12-yard gain with 5 of his own and placed the ball inside the ten for the Wildcats and Austin scored his first of two touchdowns with 3:30 remaining in the first. Bess added the PAT and Florala held a 15-0 advantage. Central seemed to gain shelter from the storm when they added six-points on a 15-yard touchdown but McNeill added his second touchdown four minutes later and the Wildcats went up 23-6 on another McNeill to Jamison 2-pt conversion. Florala's lead, however went the way of the Weather Channel's Jim Cantore showing up on your beach front - people get nervous - and so did Wildcat fans euphoria as the Lions closed the gap with two late second quarter scores and the half time ended with the Wildcats clinging to a three point lead. What must have appeared to Central as a storm ending was only them passing through the eye of "Hurricane Wildcat" as the Lions fumbled the second half kick-off and then the bottom fell out for the visiting team. Florala hammered the 2A region 3 team for twenty-nine second half points enroute to the second largest opening season victory in school history, 52-26. A potential touchdown pass to Ray Hall in the endzone was called for interference and led to Austin West (#2) three-yard run and a 29-20 score. The Lions fumbled their next possession and Austin McNeill found Ray Hall all alone for a 30-yard audibled touchdown reception added to by the McNeill-to-Jamison 2-pt connection and a 37-20 third quarter romp. The fourth quarter picked up where the third ended and Senior Smiley began to hammer in hard yardage and pound the Lions hopes like the endless winds of a beach front storm. Smiley carried six Central defenders for a 9-yard gain followed by a 15-yard touchdown from McNeill followed by another 2-pt conversion. Central added a touchdown on a 42 yard run, but Brandon Russell carried the ensuing kick-off 28-yards to setup the Wildcats final scoring drive collimating how the game begin with John Bess in the end zone. The senior scored from 3-yards out with :51 seconds remaining and a 52-26 Wildcats victory. The Lions finished with approximately 27 plays from scrimmage in a contest dominated by the Wildcats. Austin West finished with 70 yards and a touchdown, while Smiley ended with 114 all purpose yards. McNeill finished with approximately 240 yards total offense including 3 rushing touchdowns and two passing. The senior QB also added three- 2-pt throws and ran in a 2-pt conversion accounting for 43 total points. John Bess scored twice and added two PATs and Ray Hall carried in a 30-yard touchdown. Florala opens region play at Hartford this Friday Night and takes on Geneva County. The Bulldogs lost 12-14 to 2A Wicksburg in week one. The Wildcats have outscored their last two opponents (Rocky Bayou, Central) 49-12 in the last two quarters of play and hope their season has just begun brewing up tropical disaster for their opposition. |
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