ADDISON, Ala. – Addison hosted the Vina Red Devils, and the Bulldogs had an opportunity to clinch a playoff berth with a victory. It also happened to be Homecoming and Addison doesn’t lose Homecoming games. The Bulldogs easily handled the Red Devils 41-14, in a game that wasn’t as close as the score would indicate, and they will be the three seed from Region 7.
In the Co-Main Event of the evening, Lovely Miss Savannah Miller was crowned Addison’s 2024 Homecoming Queen. Savannah is the daughter of Adam Miller and Crystal Bowden. Addison also recognized Bulldogs legend and Addison graduate Patsy Wilson who was a pioneer in the development of female athletics at Addison High School. Addison has named one of the gyms on campus after this inspiring woman who probably could still hold her own on any court you choose. Congratulations Ms. Wilson.
Addison kicked off to Vina and after holding Vina to zero yards on three plays they forced a Devil punt. Addison’s Kayden Dyson partially blocked the Devil punt, and the ball only went to the about 15 yards. Addison took over possession at the Vina 44-yard line.
Addison coaches must have seen something on film as they utilized several shovel passes in the first half and the Red Devils had absolutely no answer for them. After a quick 5-yard run by fullback Jaxson Williams, quarterback Elijah Roberts shovel passed the ball to Judah Wilkins for 18 yards and a first down. The very next play was a repeat of the last play, but this time Roberts hit Dyson for 21 yards and a touchdown. After the Wyatt Anderson extra point, Addison led 7-0 with 9:30 to go in the first quarter.
Vina then had their only drive of the night, against Addison’s first team defense. Starting at their own 23-yard line, Vina moved down to the Bulldog 41 and facing a fourth and thirteen threw a half back pass that caught the Bulldog defenders flat footed. The Red Devil receiver was wide open, ten yards behind the Addison secondary, but unfortunately for Vina the running back overthrew his receiver giving the ball to the Bulldogs.
It took Addison a whopping four plays to go 59 yards for the touchdown. Roberts connected on three passes to three different receivers, shovel passes, for 19, 28 and 13 yards. Running back Seth Hammack ran it in from ten yards out for the Bulldog’s second touchdown of the night. Roberts hit Dyson for the two-point pass and with 2:52 left in the first quarter, Addison led 15-0. Addison had only run 7 plays for 103 total yards at this point.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Vina returner found an open lane on the return and ran it from Vina’s 15-yard line all the way down to the Bulldog 4. Addison’s Wilkins saved the touchdown by running him down from behind. On 2nd and goal, Vina ran it in from 4 yards out for the Red Devils first score of the night. The two-point attempt was no good and with 1:21 left in the first quarter, Vina was down 15-6.
Addison took over possession at midfield after a failed Vina onside kick attempt. Five plays later, FB Williams took it in for the score from 4 yards out and Addison had another quick drive for the touchdown. The two-point attempt was no good and Addison had stretched the lead to 21-6 at the 11:14 mark of the second quarter.
The Bulldog kickoff team stayed in their lanes on this kickoff, after some spirited coaching from the Addison staff, and Vina took over at their own 18-yard line. On Vina’s first play of the series, Addison’s Scout Flynn made a nice one-handed interception of a Devil bomb and returned the ball all the way down to the Red Devil 27-yard line. After a Bulldog penalty moved it back fifteen yards, Roberts ran it in for the touchdown, but it was called back on a holding call. The Bulldogs literally lost 25-yards and a touchdown on this drive alone to penalties. Facing a third down and twenty-four from the Vina 33-yard line, Roberts dropped back and found Dyson open and threw him a strike. Dyson got down to the Vina four-yard line after the 29-yard catch and a first and goal. Two plays later, RB Trennon Burns took it in from two yards out for the touchdown. The two-point was no good and Addison led 27-6. This is how the first half would end.
Addison received the second half kickoff and took a grand total of five plays to go 55 yards for the touchdown. After four runs netted the Bulldogs 21 yards, Roberts found Dyson again for 34-yards and another touchdown through the air. Roberts found Dathan Cleghorn for the two-point conversion and with 9:33 to go in the third quarter, Addison led 35-6.
In the second half Vina, it seems, had determined to drain the clock on each snap and would not snap the ball until the play clock was under five seconds. So, Vina’s next possession went 8 plays for 12 total yards but used almost 6 minutes of game time. Addison held Vina on a fourth and eight play and took over at their own 49-yard line.
Facing a second and seven from the Vina 48-yard line, Addison’s Hammack took a toss and ran around the right side of Addison’s line, down the sideline for a 48-yard touchdown run. The extra point attempt was no good and Addison had stretched the lead to 41-6. The 3:41 mark of the third quarter would be the last time Addison had the football on this night.
Addison Head Coach David Smothers took the starters out at this point and put in the “puppies.” The young players have to get some valuable game experience, and they did just that. What we learned is that Vina’s varsity only beat the Puppies 8-0 in a little over a quarter of work. Addison’s young ones gave up a touchdown, a 44-yard run, on their first series but did not allow Vina to score on the other series that that they were in there. Vina had a successful on side kick after their score which did not allow the young Addison offense a chance to take the field. The game ended with Addison winning comfortably, 41-14.
Addison moves to 5-4 (4-2 region) and will host Phillips next Friday.
Unofficial stats
Addison ran 21 rushing plays for 194 total yards. Addison ran 11 passing plays for 172 total yards. Addison ran 32 total plays for 366 total yards. Vina ran 49 rushing plays for 159 total yards. Vina ran 5 passing plays for 27 total yards. Vina ran 54 total plays for 186 total yards.
Addison’s Roberts went 10 completions in 11 attempts for 170 yards and two touchdowns.
Addison’s Hammack had 5 carries for 66 yards and a touchdown. Roberts had 4 carries for 66 yards. Anderson had 3 carries for 20 yards. J. Williams had 3 carries for 15 yards and a touchdown. Burns had 3 carries for 13 yards and 2 touchdowns. Wilkins 2 carries for 9 yards. Shelton Alexander had 1 carry for 5 yards.
Addison’s Dyson had 4 catches for 84 yards and 2 touchdowns. Burns had 3 catches for 21 yards. Hammack had 1 catch for 28 yards. Flynn had 1 catch for 19 yards. Wilkins had 1 catch for 18 yards.
On defense, Dyson had 6 tackles. Burns and Major Snoddy had 5 tackles each. Brye Dollar, Bradley Willette and J. Williams had 4 tackles each. Brodie Willingham, Owen Pratt and Joey Wilson had 3 tackles each. Michael Lee, Anderson, Carter Pratt, Wilkins and Robert Gilmore Jr had 2 each. Flynn and Roberts each had an interception. Silas Frazier had a sack.
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