Priceville picks up 1st win on the road

By Staff
Zonya Ponder, Enquirer Correspondent
HUNTSVILLE – "We played a very athletic team this week, our guys fought hard allowing only one turnover and ran the ball successfully," Priceville Bulldogs coach Donald Weeks said on a very wet and rainy Thursday night after picking up a 24-6 win over the Columbia Eagles at Goldsmith-Schiffman Field in Huntsville.
Coach Weeks added, "We cut down on mistakes with offense this week and it gave us our first regional win."
Acting head coach for the Columbia Eagles Donnie Harris said, "We felt coming in we had speed on the Priceville team but did not protect the ball and with several turnovers we could not come through with a win."
Priceville opened the game with a bang, scoring on its first drive of the contest when Eli Allen scored on a 15-yard run. Justin Anderson kicked the extra point to make the score 7-0.
The Eagles responded with a drive down to the Priceville 9-yard line before fumbling the ball over to Priceville.
The Bulldogs moved the ball down to the Columbia 9 but fumbled the ball right back to the Eagles.
Columbia had a good chance to score late in the first half but quarterback Holt Claiborne was intercepted by Priceville's Aaron Sawyer in the red zone. The Bulldogs pieced together a strong drive including a 35-yard pass from Logan Manthey to Kyle Bunnell, but time expired in the half before the Bulldogs could add to their 7-0 lead.
Priceville's defense intercepted another Columbia pass at the start of the third quarter, giving the Bulldogs prime field position. But the drive stalled and Anderson kicked a 25-yard field goal to increase the Bulldogs' lead to 10-0 with 9:17 left in the third quarter.
Allen caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Manthey with 5:07 left in the third quarter and Anderson hit the extra point to put Priceville up by 17.
The fourth quarter was greeted by a heavy steady rain and the crowds of fans became a sea of umbrellas, but the Bulldogs came out strong to make a drive for Eagle territory.
The Priceville offense pushed the ball to the Eagles' 23-yardline when Manthey connected with Kristian Barker for a 28-yard touchdown. The extra point was good, taking the score to 24-0 with 8:53 left in the game.
On the rain soaked field Columbia came back and in two plays scored their first touchdown of the game. Cash Maclin scored on a 62-yard pass from Nick Rocket, but the two-point conversion attempt was stopped by the Bulldogs.
"We did pretty good on offense and cut down on the penalties," Priceville offensive lineman Jake Miller said. "The Eagles' defense just could not hold us and we ran the ball."
The Bulldogs play No. 1 North Jackson at home on Friday night a 7 p.m. It is the first home game of the season for Priceville.