Hornets and Tigers Struggle in Spring Games

Jackson County’s two western football teams closed out their spring practice season with both electing to play a regulation game as opposed to a jamboree format. The Cottondale Hornets traveled to Bonifay last Friday night to take on the Holmes County Blue Devils and fell 35-12. The Hornets had kept things close in the first half, trailing by just two points at 14-12. But the second half was all Holmes County as they rolled up 21 unanswered points. After the Blue Devils took an early 7-0 lead Cottondale responded with a drive and touchdown of their own. Evan Davis took it in from 10 yards out for the score to make it 7-6. Holmes County posted another score to take a 14-6 lead but once again the Hornets fought back. This time it came on a 20 yard pass from C.J. Smith to Cody Saye. The Hornets failed to convert the two point play and trailed by two when the first half ended.

The Graceville Tigers played host to the Bulldogs of Freeport on Tuesday night and found the going rough. Freeport scored early and often in the first half and held a 25-0 lead at the end of the first half. The Tigers played better in the second half, holding the Bulldogs scoreless and moving the ball at times of offense. But offensively they never were able to string together enough successful plays to sustain an long drives or score any points. Jacky Miles took the helm at QB and had some nice runs and seemed to find a good target in Allante Oliver-Barnes. The duo hooked up for three nice passing plays that picked up good yardage and first downs. Darae Laster had some nice runs in the game as well. Jeremy Watford also ran the ball well at times but the trio, Miles, Laster and Watford, also found themselves hammered by the Bulldog defense on a regular occurrence as the Tiger offensive line had trouble holding out the ‘Dogs. The Tigers battled hard and had one last drive to try and get on the scoreboard. Miles picked up a first down on a nice scramble and then hooked up with Oliver-Barnes to get to the Bulldog 14 yard line with less than a minute to play. But the final horns sounded with the Tigers at the Bulldog 4 yard line and unable to get into the end zone.