Blue Devils Trounce Trojans In Opener
After a slow first quarter, the Blue Devils racked up four touchdowns before the half including C.J. Telford’s touchdown. A freshman, Telford’s march to the endzone was his first touchdown in high school play.
BRUCE – Although the crowd was slim in last Friday’s season opener due to COVID restrictions, the enthusiasm was strong as a young Blue Devils team trounced Bruce with 45 unanswered points – four touchdowns and a 30 yard field goal in the second quarter and a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Penalties and turnovers plagued both teams early in the game, but the Blue Devils started their second quarter scoring blitz with a 50-yard punt return by Marion Morgan with 11 minutes remaining in the quarter.
The Water Valley defense forced a Trojans’ fumble two plays into their next possession. Facing second and ten after the turnover, freshman Jaden Morgan marched 37 yards to the end zone for the second score of the night with just under 10 minutes remaining in the half.
A fumble recovery by Dre McCray set up the Blue Devils next possession on the Bruce 21 yard line and freshman signal caller C.J. Telford scored his first high school touchdown with a 21-yard scamper to the end zone. Junior kicker Jon Surrette connected for this third PAT in the game, putting the Blue Devils up 21 – 0 with just over seven minutes remaining in the quarter.
A red zone stand by the Trojan defense brought Surrette back to the field for a 30-yard field goal that sailed through the uprights to increase the Blue Devils lead to 24 points with two and a half minutes left in the half.
Bruce was able to move the chains once in their final possession of the half following an offsides penalty against the Blue Devils, but a fumble recovery brought the Blue Devil offense back on the field with 26 yards to the goal line and a minute and 46 seconds remaining on the clock. Coach Brad Embry’s offense went in to hurry-up mode and McCray connected for the final touchdown of the half with a nine-yard run.
After neither team could find traction in the third quarter and a running clock in the final quarter, the Blue Devils would not score again until Marion Morgan scooped up a fumble and raced 65 yards to the end zone midway through the final quarter. . The PAT by Surrette put the Blue Devils up 38-0. The final touchdown came as Jaden Morgan sprinted 15 yards to the end zone unscathed with a minute remaining in the game.
The Blue Devils will be back in action Friday night at home where they will face the Calhoun City Wildcats. Calhoun City has been a top ranked 2-A team, but is 0-2 in the 2020 season.
