PREP FOOTBALL: Opelika falls to Dothan in shootout

DOTHAN — The whispers started in the Dothan stands with 10 minutes left to go in the game, after the Tigers fell behind heavily-favored Opelika, 41-30.

The Tigers had given the Bulldogs a real scare, and many believed a moral victory was better than another crushing defeat.

Then, the unthinkable happened.

Dothan fought off one more Opelika scoring attempt then shocked everyone in Rip Hewes Stadium, scoring twice in the final 1:10 to pull off an unthinkable, 45-41 win over the Bulldogs — a score sure to raise eyebrows throughout Alabama.

The drama began with 1:53 left in the game, after Dothan held Opelika deep in its own territory, forcing a punt. Dothan took over at the Bulldog 37.

That’s when quarterback Jay LeGrand lofted a 35-yard pass to Marcus Smith, who showed amazing concentration, catching the ball after it bounced off a Bulldog defender. Two plays later on third-and-goal, LeGrand hit Fontaine Stratton for a 2-yard score. LeGrand then hit Benard McGhee with the 2-point conversion to make it 41-38 with 1:10 left.

Ryan Mullins then executed a perfect onside kick, skipping the ball on the grass before the Tigers came up with it in the ensuing scrum with 1:07 left.

LeGrand then threw two incompletions, including one that sailed right through an Opelika defender’s hands when LeGrand heaved the ball in the air to avoid a sack.

Facing third-and-10 from the Opelika 48 with less than 50 seconds remaining, LeGrand dropped back and invited a rushing Opelika defense his way, then dropped the ball over the defenders into the hands of Brandon Knight, who caught the ball near midfield.

“When I caught it, I turned around and just saw a bunch of white jerseys,” said Knight, whose Dothan Tigers were clad in black.

But like a slalom skier, Knight weaved his way through the sea of white, making several defenders miss before swooshing his way into the end zone for the improbable comeback and a 45-41 lead with 39 seconds remaining.

The home stands erupted in a raucous celebration while the Opelika sidelines stood in stunned silence.

Opelika was unable to mount a threat in the final seconds, due in part to a crushing quarterback sack by Tamikal Morris.

Opelika (2-1, 1-1 Class 6A-Region 3) entered the game undefeated, outscoring its opponents 77-6 after opening the season with a 28-0 shutout of Sidney Lanier, followed by a 49-6 win over Russell County. Dothan (2-1, 1-1), defeated Eufaula in the season opener but dropped a 37-14 decision to Auburn last week.

Dothan High coach Kelvis White said his team has no doubters.

“They fight to the end. That’s the character of this team,” White said.

“When we got down, Coach (White) told us to never give up, to fight back and win this thing. That’s what we did,” Knight said.

LeGrand finished the game with 273 yards passing and four touchdowns. He threw 31 passes in the second half. Overall, the Tigers had 352 total yards. Opelika finished with 93 yards rushing and 223 passing.

The game had a distastrous beginning for Opelika. Dothan jumped ahead 17-0 in the game’s first five minutes. A recovered fumble led to a 38-yeard touchdown pass from LeGrand to Nicholas Martin. The Bulldogs fumbled into the end zone on its next possession, and Keodric Grant recovered for a 14-0 lead. A third Opelika fumble led to a 27-yard field goal by Mullins.

Opelika answered with a 67-yard touchdown pass from Dalton Pritchett to Terrence Spinks, a 12-yard touchdown pass from Pritchett to Brandon Canady and a 2-yard run by Cameron Hill to take a 21-17 lead with 4:51 left in the half. Mullins kicked a 35-yard field goal just before the half to cut Opelika’s lead to 21-20.

Early in the third, Pritchett hit Corey Grant for a 25-yard touchdown pass to make it 28-20. Mullins answered with a 32-yard field goal to make it 28-23 with 2:56 left in the third.

What was believed to be the backbreaker for Dothan happened next when Kentavious Heard returned the ensuing kickoff 81 yards to the Dothan 5, allowing Hill to score on the next play for a 35-23 lead.

But Dothan answered to make it 35-30 when LeGrand hit McGee for a 7-yard score to make it 35-30. Opelika’s final score came on a 13-yard run by Grant to make it 41-30.