Falkville edges Danville in opener

By Staff
Thompson gains 201 yards as Blue Devils upend Hawks, 18-16
Roy Jones, Sports Correspondent
Prior to Friday night's game, Falkville head coach Jeff Miller and Danville first-year head coach Joey Burch were in agreement on a couple of things.
"We're a young team" and "We don't have much depth" were common phrases.
Yet the Falkville Blue Devils and Danville Hawks may have already played the game of the season just one week into gridiron action, as the Blue Devils came out on top, 18-16.
Falkville's Ian Thompson needed just eight carries for 201 yards on the ground. He scored all three Blue Devils touchdowns.
Thompson's run from eight yards out in the first quarter put the Blue Devils on top 6-0. The kick failed.
In the second quarter, Danville's defense responded with a touchdown.
Pierre Pinchon recovered a fumble and rumbled 36 yards for the defensive score. However, Falkville was able to block the PAT and kept the score tied at six.
Before the half, the Hawks took a 9-6 lead on a 30-yard field goal by Josh Camp.
But Thompson got back on track in the third quarter, rushing for a 76 and 95-yard touchdown during the stanza.
"He run hard," Miller said after the game. "I told our offensive line if we rushed for over 200 yards we would win this game."
The offensive line responded and on several occasions opened huge holes for Thompson to run through.
Danville trailed 18-9 after Thompson's explosion, but pulled within two after Steven Biggans, who rushed 13 times for 17 yards, ran in for a touchdown from 16 yards out.
A last-minute Danville drive in the fourth quarter was ended abruptly when Falkville's Bobby Holladay intercepted a pass.
Falkville out-gained Danville 285-103 in the contest.
See STATS, B-4