The Bulldogs started their 2016 season with a win over the Ragland Purple Devils in an intense and penalty ridden game Friday night. Ashville finished the game with a score of 17-6, bringing the Purple Devils their second loss of the season. Ragland stands at 0-2 and goes on next week to face Talladega County Central (1-1).
Ashville's Offensive Coordinator, Heath Lauderdale, was pleased with the win. "Ultimately, in the end, we got the looks we thought we were gonna get. We ran the ball successfully in the first half, but they started bringing more guys in the box and made it more difficult for our run game. We overcame it and brought home the win."
Ashville head coach Steve Martin echoed similar feelings. "We feel good about the win. This sets up the team for a great season of play, and I'm proud of our boys and coaches. We hope to continue to play ball and win some more games for the Ashville community and Ashville High School as the season progresses."
It wasn't all good news for Ashville as penalties were a major issue during the second quarter and latter half of the ballgame. Ashville had two touchdowns called back due to penalties, forcing the team to struggle to maintain their lead over Ragland as the Purple Devils scored in the third quarter making it 14-6 and missing the P.A.T.
Coach Lauderdale addressed concerns over penalties in the game that may have caused the team to struggle with keeping the momentum in the Bulldogs' favor. "We had too many penalties on successful drives, which cost us two touchdowns. At the end, though, we had enough gas in the tank to finish the game off on both sides of the ball. That's what we're here to do is finish and get the win."
With a successful field goal, the Bulldog's moved the score to 17-6 by the fourth quarter, winning the game and starting their season 1-0.
The Bulldogs take on region opponent Anniston next week at Anniston. When asked about Anniston, Coach Martin was optimistic and focused on keeping their record clear of losses. "We want to move forward and focus on what we learned tonight about some weaknesses and correct those weaknesses for Anniston. Work on Anniston will start tomorrow with film looks, but we're here to enjoy this win right now, and we appreciate the community support that came out tonight."
The Bulldogs travel to Anniston next Friday for their regional debut. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.