Opelika off to worst start in 21 years

PHENIX CITY — This is territory that is so uncharted for Opelika, it hasn’t been faced since years before any of the Bulldogs players were born.

Their lopsided, 30-10 loss to Central High at Garrett-Harrison Stadium on Friday night set up the Bulldogs for their first 0-2 start since 1989.

“It’s tough for all of us,” second-year coach Brian Blackmon said. “It’s frustrating.”

The Bulldogs fell into a 16-0 halftime hole and never drew closer than two touchdowns in the second half, one in which the Red Devils were able to ease back, pound the ball on the ground and play to run out the clock. It was a familiar scene, as the Red Devils dominated time of possession from the start, converting numerous third downs, limiting the Bulldogs to just four first-quarter plays and embarking on multiple, double-digit play drives.

Central didn’t face a fourth down until the first play of the fourth quarter.

“We stayed in third-and-longs all night, but first and second downs weren’t good, either,” Blackmon said. “We didn’t play very good defensively, we didn’t play good offensively and we made mistakes in the kicking game. We got beat by a good football team.”

By the time Opelika ran its fifth play from scrimmage, Central had already run close to 30 plays and was up 9-0 after a 37-yard Brandon Dorrill field goal. The Bulldogs fumbled in Central territory on their first drive and went three-and-out on their second, setting up Trent Miles’ second of four touchdown runs, a 30-yarder, on the first play of the ensuing drive. All four of Miles’ touchdown runs went for 20 yards or longer.

“He’s got a real zeal for the end zone,” Central coach Woodrow Lowe said. “I’m proud of that young man. I really am.”

Opelika’s offense found big chunks of yards on the ground, but couldn’t do much through the air. Quarterback Dalton Pritchett completed 10 of his 21 passes for 71 yards, but just one — a 30-yard toss to Braden Rogers — went for more than 10.

Pritchett ran 10 times for 40 yards while Hill amassed 101 yards on 14 carries and scored the Bulldogs’ lone touchdown, a 37-yarder late in the third quarter that put Opelika on the scoreboard for the first time.

The Bulldogs added their final 2 points less than a minute later when Central snapped a punt out of its own end zone, but that’s all they had left.

“We’ll rally the troops,” said Blackmon, who will look to avoid becoming the first Opelika coach to start a season 0-3 since 1980 when the Bulldogs face Smiths Station.

Lowe had a similar message for his team afterward, giving the players between “10-24 hours” to enjoy the victory before their focus shifts to next Friday’s clash with Dothan.

“It’s a big thing for the kids,” Lowe said.

agribble@oanow.com | 737-2561