By ANDREW HAZZARD
MACON — While Aberdeen dropped a 29-0 decision to Noxubee County in prep football action Friday night, the Bulldogs did not go down without a fight.
The Bulldogs played with heart and grit on defense, and gave the Tigers more resistance than many anticipated. Aberdeen missed out on two opportunities to keep things close in the first half. In the first quarter, a shanked punt gave the Bulldogs a start within the redzone, but a fifteen yard unsportsmanlike conduct call put Aberdeen out of range and unable to capitalize.
Late in the second quarter, quarterback Josh Williams found receiver Parish Cratic inside the five yardline. The Bulldogs were unable to put the ball in and cut down the Tiger’s lead.
“It was a back-breaker,” said Aberdeen head coach Mark Bray. “We got down there and got the penalty. Then we got down here and didn’t get it in.”
Still, Bray said his team proved something to him.
“We can play with a team like Noxubee, the kids know it,” Bray said. “Defensively, we can. We’ve been struggling defensively the first three weeks. Tonight, we stepped up and went toe-to-toe with them.”
The Bulldogs offense was overwhelmed by a talented defensive front for Noxubee County, but = Williams continued to fight even under fire.
“Josh is one of them kids,” Bray said. “He’s gonna battle and do what a senior quarterback is supposed to do. He’s not gonna run backwards and that type of thing, He’s gonna battle and just try to keep you in the game. And he did all he could, we just didn’t give him time.”
The defense was disruptive enough to give the offense possessions and opportunities to stay neck and neck with the Tigers.
“Defensively, I wasn’t satisfied, but we played well,” Bray said.
Linebacker CJ Williams was all over the field defensively for the Bulldogs. Williams shot into the backfield and picked up multiple tackles for loss. He said he tries his best to keep his team positive and playing together.
“All I do is just speak positive to my guys,” CJ Williams said. ” Everything I say to them is positive, nothing negative. I compliment when they’re doing good and I compliment when they’re doing bad. I just tell him if they work hard and make a play, that there’s always another play.”
Tough Schedule
Aberdeen suffered its second loss of the season to Noxubee County; the first was to New Hope on the road. The losses share two key characteristics: both were on the road, and both were to 4A schools. The Bulldogs are a 3A program.
“It’s gonna make us better in the end,” Bray said. “We’ve got two more 4A schools to play in Itawamba and Corinth. You know it’s tough, because they’ve got more numbers than you do and you’re playing kids both ways. But in the end, it makes you better — there’s no doubt about it.”
Bray said he would be comfortable being 3-3 after the first six games of the season, if the school can split games against their next two opponents, Itawamba and Corinth.
He added that he would prefer to be 4-2. All of the first six games on Aberdeen’s schedule have been against 4A competition. At this point, the Bulldogs are 2-2 and have shown the bigger schools that they can compete.
“All the teams that we play in other divisions are 4 and 5A schools and all they’re doing is making us better for the 3A division time,” CJ Williams said. “To me, when we put on the pads and start hitting, we’re all equal.”
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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