Following a big win over rival T.R. Miller (Brewton Middle School) last week in Brewton to start the season, the W.S. Neal Middle School football team had a letdown Thursday at home as they lost to Andalusia 22-12.
The loss dropped the Eagles to 1-1 this season.
Andalusia led 6-0 after the first quarter and 14-6 at the half before taking a 22-6 lead into the final quarter of play. In the fourth, W.S. Neal was able to cut the lead to 22-12 but that would be as close as they would get as they lost by 10.
Andalusia racked up 185 total yards in the game with 136 rushing and 49 passing. The Bulldogs had 91 yards in the first half (42 rushing and 49 passing) and 94 in the second half, all coming on the ground. The Bulldogs finished with 11 first downs.
W.S. Neal had 166 total yards of offense in the loss with 105 on the ground and 61 in the air. The Eagles had 91 yards of offense in the first half (82 rushing and nine passing) and 75 in the second half (23 rushing and 52 passing). The Eagles finished with 10 first downs in the loss.
Malcolm Hawthorne led the Eagles rushing with 69 yards on 15 carries. Quenton Samuel had 31 yards on 10 carries and one touchdown and quarterback Lane Chavers had three carries for five yards in the loss.
Chavers finished the game going 4-for-8 passing with 61 yards and one touchdown.
Derrick Barton had three catches for 51 yards and one touchdown in the loss and Hawthorne had one catch for 10 yards.
Earlier in the game, the Eagles’ 7th grade team lost 8-0 to the Bulldogs in a 10-minute first quarter. W.S. Neal had 30 yards of offense, all rushing, while Andalusia had 69 yards of offense, all on the ground.
W.S. Neal will play at home Thursday against Monroeville at 6 p.m.