Enterprise rolls over Alma Bryant

The 97th season of Enterprise High School football began Friday with the Wildcats entertaining the Alma Bryant Hurricanes in R.L. Bates Memorial Stadium.

And entertain them Enterprise did, to the tune of 42-12. The Wildcats scored the first five times they touched the football after receiving the opening kickoff.

“Alma Bryant has a good team and some really good players,” said EHS coach Kevin Collins. “We got off to a great start; they were a little out of sync and things went our way the first quarter and they couldn’t get back in it.”

The first score came on the fifth play of the opening drive when sophomore Willie Curry raced 45 yards. D.J. Kober added the point after for a 7-0 Enterprise lead with 10:38 left in the first period.

Following an Alma Bryant punt on the Hurricanes first possession, Enterprise put the ball in play at its 22-yard line and Nijhil Ferrell broke free for a 78-yard scoring jaunt. Kober’s PAT made it 14-0.

Curry scored his second touchdown on a 47-yard run with 2:25 left in the opening period, four plays after Jason Jordan’s recovery of an Alma Bryant fumble at the Wildcat 43.

Kober converted for a 21-0 lead.

Chandler Duncan intercepted an Alma Bryant pass on the first play of the Hurricanes’ next possession, at the Bryant 22. Five plays later, Deandre Hart covered the final three yards of a five-play drive; Kober’s kick increased the Enterprise lead to 28-0 with 1:25 showing in the first period.

Enterprise defenders held Alma Bryant at bay on the Hurricanes’ next possession and blocked a punt on the first play of the second period.
Randell Solomon blocked the kick and Mike Jones recovered for Enterprise at the Bryant 8-yard line.

Three plays later, Hart scored from a yard out; Kober added the PAT for a 35-0 lead.

Bryant’s next drive was thwarted when Jason Jordan intercepted a pass at the Wildcat 30.

The Hurricanes stiffened, forced an Enterprise punt and used the final 2:02 of the first half to get on the scoreboard. Zach Delafossi threw to Jeremy Ford for a 43-yard touchdown with 19 seconds remaining in the half.

The extra point attempt failed, laving the score 35-6 at intermission.

After throwing the ball 21 times in the first half, Bryant found a little running room early after receiving the second-half kickoff, but it was still the aerial route that produced yards. An Enterprise pass interference call kept the Bryant drive alive and gave the Hurricanes a first down at the Enterprise 26.

Harry Edwards scored from a yard out with 6:40 to play in the third period; the score remained 35-12 when the two-point conversion pass attempt was swatted down by a Wildcat.

The Hurricane defense, which had held the Wildcats to a negative one yard of offense in the second period, continued their newfound defensive mastery throughout the third quarter, pinning Enterprise at its 21 and forcing a punt. A 32-yard punt gave Bryant outstanding field position at its 46.

Bryant, with Ricky LaForce sharing quarterbacking duties with Delafossi, stopped itself with a holding call and punted out of bounds just inside the Enterprise 10.

Taking over with 2:47 remaining in the third period, Enterprise kept the ball until 7:13 remained in the game; Alma Bryant held the Wildcats on downs and took possession at its 26.

Bryant drove to midfield and fell short of a first down with 3:50 to play.

On second down from the Bryant 40, Jalen Hooks broke free for a touchdown. Kober’s kick brought the game to its final 42-12 margin.

“Enterprise had a good football team,” Bryant head coach Ronnie Cottrell said. “They have a great tradition here, but we certainly didn’t help ourselves with turnovers and penalties.

“And I did a poor job in some areas.”

Enterprise had 12 first downs, 222 rushing yards on 30 attempts, and quarterbacks Ryan Tanner and Rhett Harrelson combined for a 9-of-16 night for 64 yards, giving Enterprise 286 total yards.

Aaron Waters averaged 33 yards on three punts. Enterprise had four penalties for 60 yards, and did not have a turnover.

Bryant had 16 first downs, 87 rushing on 26 rushes. Hurricane quarterbacks were 15-of-36 for 191 yards, with two interception. Bryant had 278 total yards, averaged 18 yards on three punts, one of which was partially blocked.

The Hurricanes had 12 penalties for 80 yards.
Enterprise hosts Central-Phenix City next week.