Bay Springs used a slow and steady approach Friday night at home to hold on to the “Battle of the Jaspers” trophy against cross-county rival Heidelberg in a 20-6 outcome. The Bulldogs have now earned the possession of the trophy for two consecutive years.
The Oilers struck first on its first possession of the game when quarterback Jaquerious Stevens rambled 43 yards for a touchdown, but that was all the Bulldogs defense would allow the rest of the night. After fumbling the ensuing kickoff, Bay Springs found a way to stave off a Heidelberg scoring threat inside the 30-yard line. Not even a minute later following a Heidelberg punt, Bay Springs mishandled a snap in the backfield, and the Oilers recovered at the Bay Springs 12-yard line. Heidelberg was in position to go ahead two touchdowns in the first quarter with a first-and-goal at the Bulldogs 1-yard line, but Bay Springs forced a fumble and eliminated another scoring threat.
The Bulldogs didn't turn the ball over again the rest of the night. The Oilers fumbled the ball away twice more during the game, and had no answer to a Bay Springs running game that went on to chew up short chunks of yards on a messy field and the majority of the second quarter and third quarter clock.
“Our plan was to just keep the ball away from them [Heidelberg],” Bay Springs head coach Dan Brady said. “Coach [Marcello] Evans and his staff do a great job. They play hard, and their kids do a really, really good job. We wanted to keep the ball away from them, because if they don't have it, they can't score. We hurt ourselves so much in the first quarter; just keeping the ball from them in the second quarter and third quarter and putting together drives was just huge.”
Bay Springs began its first scoring drive with 3:14 left in the first quarter. Quarterback Adrian Cole, during the methodical, 96-yard drive, eventually connected with Chase Wilson on a wheel route out of the backfield to set up the Bulldogs at Heidelberg's 7-yard line. Running back Ty Jones capped the offensive series with a 7-yard touchdown run, and Cole hit Peyton Pickens on a 2-point conversion pass to give Bay Springs an 8-6 advantage with 9:15 remaining in the second quarter.
The Bulldogs got the ball back quickly, after Anthony Newell recovered a Heidelberg fumble, and Bay Springs used just over seven minutes remaining in the second half before Wilson, on a fourth-and-goal, blasted into the endzone for a 1-yard touchdown run to cushion the Bulldogs' advantage, 14-6, with 1:22 left in the half.
“I think they just kind of woke up and felt that sense of urgency,” Brady said of his team's effort from late in the first quarter until the end of the first half. “We got a turnover, and that gave us a spark of momentum and it really helped us. Adrian Cole completed some big passes, and there were great catches by Peyton Pickens and Chase Wilson. I've said it all year. The thing about these kids is they are going to find a way to win. And, that's all you can ask for is that they find a way to win.”
Heidelberg's only other scoring threat of the game was after an opening third quarter blocked punt by Justin Wilson that positioned the Oilers deep in Bay Springs territory at the 34-yard line. But, the Bulldogs defense quickly forced a punt, and Bay Springs went right back to work chewing clock.
The Bulldogs used 5 more minutes of the third quarter and drove to Heidelberg's 12-yard line before giving the football up on downs. Bay Springs' Eddie Payton and Lemarcus Stubbs stepped up big with a sack, and the Oilers were forced to boot a punt that carried only to the Heidelberg 23-yard line. Bay Springs then went on to use just over four minutes early in the fourth quarter before Ty Jones scored his second touchdown run of the night on a 2-yard burst into the endzone to put the final score on the scoreboard.
Heidelberg later coughed up a fumble that Krystopher Newell recovered with 3:50 left in the game, and the Bulldogs simply gained one first down and ran out the clock.
“We just didn't have any offensive production tonight at all,” said Heidelberg head coach Marcello Evans, who watched his team last week put up 40 points against Mize.
Brady said a win over rival Heidelberg always means a great deal to his kids.
“It means a lot to these kids,” he explained. “We've had a really, really good season. They've worked extremely hard and we came up short twice. I'm really proud for these kids, especially the way they came out and bounced back after last week [loss to Enterprise]. I can't say enough about these seniors and the hard work they have put in, just getting after it. Anytime you can beat a rival it's huge. Anytime we can beat Heidelberg, it's a great night.”
With the victory over Heidelberg, Bay Springs [9-2, 3-2] secured the No. 3 seed in Region 5-2A. The Bulldogs next Friday night will face defending 2A State Champion Scott Central [8-2, 3-1] on the road in the opening round of the 2A South Playoffs. Scott Central, the No. 2 seed from Region 6-2A, edged region foe Lake, 13-7, Friday night.
“Scott Central has a great quarterback and a couple of good running backs. We are going to have to play our best game of the year I think to beat them, but that's what the playoffs are all about,” Brady said. “Our motto has always been to survive and advance. We are going to have a great week of practice; I already know that about our kids, and I know that Scott Central is going to have to play well, too, to be us too.”
Heidelberg [4-7, 3-2] finished as the No. 4 seed in Region 5-2A. The Oilers next Friday will travel to Region 6-2A No. 1 seed Philadelphia [10-1, 4-0].
