Billingsley blows by Verbena on homecoming
Published 1:07 am Saturday, September 20, 2014
By Brandon Sumrall | Special to the Advertiser
The Billingsley Bears improved to 2-2 overall and 2-0 in Class 1A, Region 3 play with a 34-14 win for Homecoming on Friday night against Verbena.
Rashaud Caver scored the game’s first points, on the Bears’ second possession of the game, with a 2-yard touchdown run. Thomas Nichols’ pass to Jaytarius Steel added two more points for the Bears.
Head of steam: Billingsley’s Derrick Dunnigan led the Bears with 94 yards rushing on Friday.
Steele added another touchdown for the Bears on the ensuing Verbena possession when he fielded the punt of Dakota Washington and returned it 64 yards for a touchdown to put the Bears up 14-0.
A 34-yard touchdown pass from Nichols to Steele gave the Bears a 20-0 lead late in the first quarter.
Billingsley added one more touchdown in the first half when Terrance Nolen broke through the Red Devil defensive line and went 22 yards for the score to put the Bears up 26-0.
The Red Devils (2-2, 1-2) get on the board late in the second quarter with a Raymond Bulger 23-yard touchdown run.
Tristan Short found Eric Mims in the end zone for the 2-point conversion to make the score 26-8 at the half.
Billingsley homecoming: Billingsley’s homecoming attendants included: Kelsey Holcombe, seventh grade; Jamya Callens, eighth grade; Aubree Dudley, freshman; Madison Bailey, sophomore; MacKenzie Glass, sophomore; Ashton Mabry, junior; Ahryn McMillin, junipr; Jessica Atchison, senior; Chavonta Parker, senior; and Emma Shepherd, senior. Parker was crowned Homecoming Queen
Derrick Dunnigan scored the Bears’ final points of the night on a 2-yard touchdown run, and with Nichols adding the 2-point conversion, the Bears took a 34-8 lead.
Verbena scored a late touchdown on a 63-yard pass from Short to Juwan Tyus to bring the games to its final.
“It’s a big win because it’s a region win,” Billingsley coach Tyson McClean said. “We started the game well, then I think we got a little complacent during the second quarter. We let them hang around a little longer than we should have, but it’s a big win because it’s a region win.”
Dunnigan led the Billingsley ground game with 94 yards on 15 carries.
Short went 8-of-16 passing for 121 yards and two touchdowns for Verbena.
