By Brandon Sumrall | Special to the Advertiser

The reigning 1A State Champion Maplesville Red Devils began their bid for a three-peat on Friday night with a convincing 40-0 win over the visiting Blue Devils of Notasulga.

The high powered Red Devil offense wasted little time in getting two-time Class 1A championship game MVP Terence Dunlap in the endzone as a 39-yard touchdown run put Maplesville on the board, 6-0.

A stifling Maplesville defense forced a Blue Devil three-and-out setting the offense up with their second possession of the game at the Notasulga 39.

Two plays later, Dunlap had his second score of the game on a 56-yard touchdown carry to put Maplesville up 12-0.

A Thomas Schooner 5-yard touchdown run put Maplesville up 18-0 late in the first quarter. With another touchdown by Schooner and a third touchdown carry by Dunlap, Maplesville would take a 33-0 lead to the half.

The pace slowed down drastically in the second half as a long 26-yard touchdown by Dunlap were the only points put on the board by either team as the Red Devils subbed deep into the depth chart and cruised to a 40-0 victory over the Blue Devils.

Dunlap finished the contest with 251 yards rushing on 14 carries and 4 touchdowns and nearly 400 all-purpose yards, but the Red Devil running back gave his offensive line all the credit.

“It’s the great offensive line that we have,” Dunlap said. “We have a couple of guys returning back from last season and I couldn’t get it done with out them.”

Whether it was the veterans anchoring the offensive line or the quick feet and blistering speed of Dunlap, the Red Devils are sure to be a force to be reckoned with once again in Class 1A.