Bullard loses 32-26 in district grid opener
By Don Wallace

Bullard defenders Daniel Abernathy (9) and Joseph Andrews (20) close in on an Athens running back during recent district football competition. Athens won 32-26 over Bullard. The Panthers host Van at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

ATHENS - In a see-saw district football battle, the Panthers wound up on the wrong end of the see-saw.

The back-and-forth action saw the lead change hands more times than a hot piece of real estate. But when the smoke cleared, Athens had a 32-26 win in District 14-3A debut for both squads at Bruce Field.

On a game played on Friday the 13th, it was the haunting thought of what might have been that leaves Bullard scratching their heads as they ponder their 0- 1 loop record. The game ended with the Panthers in the shadow of the Athens goal post wanting to score, trying to score, but unable to do so against the Hornet defense.

"It's a game we should have won," Bullard head football coach Rex Sharp said. "When you look at the stats, we have over 400 yards in offense, 21 first downs. We did a lot of good things, but so did Athens. Athens just made a few more plays than we did, so they won. We had our opporunities to score."

Sharp continued, "I am disappointed at the outcome and the score, but not in my team. We played hard, I think we came together and played well as a team. It was homecoming for Athens, about 6,000 people were at the game. It was a terrific high school contest and we just fell short."

Bullard got on the scoreboard first, capping a drive with a 1-yard scoring run by Cameron Clark. The extra point failed. Athens responded with af field goal by Angel Nava and the first quarter ended with the visiting Panthers up 6-3.

The Hornets padded the lead when Dhe'Ryan Jackson scored on a 13-yard run. But Bullard answered with a 59-yard determined run to the end zone by Geoff Dick. The see-saw affair continued as Athens responded with an 11-yard scoring pass from Wesley Starks to Odrick Ray.

Bullard went up 20-17 at halftime following a short scoring pass from quarterback Cameron Clark to Nate Covalt.

The Panthers started the third quarter like house ablaze as DeQuan Granberry rambled for a 70-yard scoring run. The try for a two point conversion failed, but the Panthers were feeling good up 26-17.

Bullard had a chance to put more points on the board with their next possessipn, but the drive stalled inside the Athens 10- yard line.

Athens would close out the scoring adding a 5-yard run by Jackson in the third period. Then the touchdown, that turned out to be the clincher, a 2-yard dash to goal by Starkes. Bullard was scoreless in the final period.

Bullard rushes 53 times for 306 yards. Clark ran 23 times for 83 yards; Granberry had eight totes for 124 yards, Dick carried the pigskin 18 times for 92 yards.

Clark completed 8 of 15 passes for 135 yards, one touchdown, one interception. Top receivers include: Jeff Alsobrook, three for 51 yards; Landon Willborn, one for 26; Justin Hollie, one for 22; Covalt, three for 16 and Jeremy Morgan, one for 15.

Inside linebacker Alsobrook paced the Panther defense with 12 tackles, two for losses. Charlie Moore had nine tackles, one deflected pass and Nathan Wallace picked off a pass.

Athens had 388 total yards coming from 188 net rushing yards and 200 passing.

Bullard falls to 3-3 overall, 0-1 in district. Athens is 3-3 and 1-0.

The Panthers will host Van on Friday night, Oct. 20 at Panther Stadium. The Vandals fell to rival Brownsboro, 27-15 in another big District 14-3A contest.

"We have Van next and they lost to Brownsboro," Sharp said. "So Bullard and Van will meet with both teams 0-1 in district. That will be an interesting game, I think we will play well. We'd love to come into that game with a 1-0 record, but it did not work out. We have to play our best against Van because they have some very good players."