By Brandon Sumrall | Special to the Advertiser

With second place in Class 1A, Region 3 on the line Friday, Isabella turned out to be its own worst enemy as turnovers cost the Mustangs dearly in a 50-34 loss to Notasulga.

The turnover bug bit the Mustangs early, as the opening kickoff wound up on the turf and then in the hands of the Blue Devils to set up Notasulga with their first possession at the Mustangs’ 40-yard line.

However, the Blue Devils’ drive ended on an interception by Jacob Carroll in the end zone.

The Mustangs (5-2 overall, 3-2 region) got the ground game going with their second possession of the game, driving 80 yards for a 6-0 lead on a seven-yard touchdown run by Tyler Smith.

After a William Posey sack helped stall a Notasulga (6-3, 4-1) drive, Smith found Caleb Giles across the middle for another Mustangs touchdown and a 13-10 lead late in the first quarter.

Fielding the ensuing kickoff from his own 20-yard line, Coreonte O’Neil returned the kick 80 yards for a Blue Devils touchdown to make the score 13-6 at the end of the first quarter.

The Mustangs answered right back when Smith ran in his second touchdown of the night, from two yards out, to give Isabella a 19-6 lead midway through the second quarter.

Alexander Woodard’s three-yard touchdown run cut the Mustangs’ lead to 19-12 late in the second quarter.

In the second half, Woodard fielded a punt at the Notasulga 40-yard line and returned it 60 yards for a Blue Devils touchdown to make the score 20-19 in favor of the visitors.

The Mustangs failed to convert a fourth-and-short on their next possession to turn the ball over on downs, and one play later, Woodard had another touchdown for the Blue Devils on a 61-yard touchdown run.

Another Isabella turnover on the ensuing kickoff resulted in a scoop-and-score for Notasulga, and at the end of three quarters of play, the Blue Devils had a 36-19 lead.

A touchdown pass from Smith to Hunter Langston with 7:54 to play drew the Mustangs to within 10 points of the lead, 36-26.

Woodard again escaped the clutches of the IHS defense on the next possession, scampering 84 yards down to the Isabella four-yard line. One play later, the Blue Devils built a 42-26 lead.

Woodard add one more touchdown to his tally for the night to bring the score to 50-26, while a Smith to Jacob Carroll touchdown with 1:15 to play wasn’t enough to chance the outcome.

“We played hard, but they came out in the second half and just wanted it a little more than we did and we shot ourselves in the foot to many times,” Isabella coach Scott Booth said. “I feel bad for our seniors because they worked hard, but we have a big game against Thorsby next week so we have to regroup and get ready for that.”

Smith led the Mustangs running game with 180 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries, while adding 135 yards through the air on 10-of-17 completions with two touchdowns.

Carroll led the Isabella defense with nine tackles and an interception.