CHARLOTTESVILLE — After combining for 92 opening-week points, the Class 5A No. 15 New Albany Bulldogs (2-0) and the 2A No. 9 Eastern Hancock Royals (1-1) were expected to put on an offensive showcase on Friday night at Knarr Field.
Spoiler — they did just that.
In a back-and-forth battle of offensive haymakers, the Bulldogs claimed the victory in a wild 2A vs. 5A matchup, 50-43.
In a first quarter lasting 64 minutes, the Royals and Bulldogs combined for five touchdowns.
Despite a powerful offensive play in the first quarter, both teams still managed to come up with a few stops defensively. Each quarterback threw two first-half interceptions.
Royals senior Cayden Sotelo came down with both interceptions in the half.
After grappling back-and-forth for momentum with big plays in the first half, the teams’ pace slowed considerably in the second half with the Bulldogs moving into a balanced run attack.
Still, both offenses were able to move at will.
Utilizing short-screen passes to their speedy stars in Zach Arnold, Cole Reinbold, Landon O’Neal and J.P. Fuchs; the Royals big-gain potential kept them within reach until early in the fourth quarter.
With 11 minutes left in the game, the Bulldogs stretched their lead to 13 with a Kyondre Winford run.
Using their longest drive of the game, a whopping 3:45 of game clock, the Royals fought back to within a score with a Fuchs’ touchdown catch from Houston Swan.
Unable to get many stops against the Bulldogs rushing game, the Royals decided to gamble with an onside kick to get the ball back immediately.
The gamble paid off and two plays later, the Royals were right back in the end zone on an Arnold 1-yard run.
With just 6:50 remaining, the Bulldogs running attack and big-play potential was put to the ultimate test, down by one.
The Bulldogs took the challenge head on. Over the course of 13 plays, they drove the clock down and the ball down the field. Scoring another touchdown with 1:04 remaining.
On the following kickoff, a well-placed punch by a Bulldog knocked the ball out of Royals’ return man Zach Arnold’s hands and onto the ground for a New Albany recovery.
The Bulldogs were able to end the game in victory formation.
Swan finished the game with 230 yards passing and four touchdowns. Arnold led the team on the ground with 138 yards rushing.
Rainbolt’s 103 yards finished as the team’s leader in receiving yards.
The Royals return to action next Friday night at home against Wes Del. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Scoreline” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
New Albany 50, Eastern Hancock 43
EH (1-1);15;7;7;14;43
NA (2-0);28;0;7;15;50
Scoring Summary
1st Quarter
NA – Myles Johnson 77 yd run (Landon Sebastian kick), 7:19
NA – DeJon Winburn 43 yd pass from Derrell Simmons (Sebastian kick), 6:54
EH – Landon O’Neal 24 yd pass from Houston Swan (Rainbolt 2 pt), 3:47
EH – J.P. Fuchs 15 yd pass from Swan (Fuchs kick), 3:32
NA – Winburn 5 yd run (Sebastian kick), 2:31
NA – M. Johnson 1 yd run (Sebastian kick), 1:53
2nd Quarter
EH- Zach Arnold 35 yd run (Fuchs kick), 10:25
3rd Quarter
NA – M. Johnson 21 yd run (Sebastian kick), 8:19
EH – Cole Reinbolt 45 yd pass from Swan (Fuchs kick), 5:00
4th Quarter
NA – Kyondre Winford 2 yd run (Sebastian kick), 11:00
EH – Fuchs 5 yd pass from Swan (Fuchs kick), 7:15
EH – Arnold 1 yd run (Fuchs kick), 6:50
NA – Winford 2 yd run (2 PT Good), 1:04
[sc:pullout-text-end]
