Horseshoe Bend hangs 56 on Randolph in big region triumph

By Roger Steele (Contact) | Alex City Outlook

Published Saturday, October 3, 2009

The Horseshoe Bend Generals took a big step toward making the playoffs Friday night with an impressive 56-36 win over Class 2A, Region 5 foe Randolph County.

The Generals (4-2, 2-2) showed off a big-play offense in front of a big home crowd at Battle Stadium by racking up 481 total yards.

The win, which marks the most since 2001, puts the Generals squarely in the playoff hunt for the second half of the season.

“I’m so proud of the way this team fought tonight,” coach Jason Franklin said. “We worked hard and we cashed in on their mistakes. We played for four quarters tonight.”

The Generals got off to a quick start when Chad Moore recovered a Randolph County fumble on the second play of the game.

Taking over on the Tigers 25-yard line, The Generals drove down to the 1-yard line and scored on a gutsy fourth down run by quarterback Josh Price with 9:23 remaining in the first quarter.

After the ensuing kickoff, the Generals showed they can play defense when they forced Randolph County (3-3, 2-2) to punt after three plays.

The Generals wasted little time on their next possession when Brandon Thomas scampered into the end zone on a 52-yard run with 6:51 left in the first quarter.

After the Generals muffed a punt deep in their own territory that only netted 2 yards, Randolph County took possession at the Horseshoe Bend 14-yard line. Six plays later, Dwayne Childs bulled his way into the end zone with a 2-yard run that closed the score to 14-7.

The Generals responded with another big play on their next possession when Price connected with Clay Phillips on a 22-yard pass that pushed the score to 20-7.

By the middle of the second quarter, the game began to look like a track meet with both teams scoring on big plays.

Dwayne Childs scored again on an impressive 15-yard run with 6:15 left in the second quarter.

Childs, who carried the ball 22 times for 210 yards, demonstrated why he is a force on the football field.

The Generals, however, showed they have their own playmakers.

After trading possessions, Horseshoe Bend put together an impressive 10-play scoring drive capped off by a 1-yard touchdown run by Brandon Thomas.

Thomas, who rushed for 212 yards and scored three touchdowns, played like a man who wanted his team to reach the playoffs.

Leading 28-14 at the start of the second half, the Generals continued racking up impressive statistics that featured a number of huge plays.

Josh Price scored on a 22-yard pass to Cody King in the third quarter and added a 32-yard touchdown run in the final quarter.

Brandon Thomas scored on a 48-yard run in the fourth quarter.

The Generals, who played a complete game on the offensive side of the ball, totaled 231 yards in the second half.

Defensively, the Generals gave up a lot of yards. However, they forced several turnovers, highlighted by an interception returned for a touchdown by Gage Whiteard that iced the game 56-28 with 2:57 left in the fourth quarter.

HBHS plays Clay County next week in a game with the undefeated Panthers.

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