Long scoring plays is the storyline for West Point Middle School:
GDW Analysis:
HANCEVILLE: Only nine plays were run by West Point's middle school squad in the first half Monday evening against the Hanceville Bulldogs in a jamboree encounter.
Three plays combined for 202 yards and three touchdowns. The scoring plays were for 65, 57 and 80 yards.
West Point defeated Hanceville 28 to 8 thanks to big time opportunities.
After an incomplete pass on the game's first play, Shem Beasley was off to the races around left end for 65 yards and the TD.
West Point led 6 to 0 after 19 seconds had elapsed in this jamboree.
Hanceville did very little on its first series, punting the ball back to West Point.
After a penalty negated a positive play, the Warriors were again in the Hanceville end zone, using two snaps.
Colton Kimbril found Mason Wilkins open on the left sideline and the play covered 57 yards. The Warriors ended the first quarter with a 12 to 0 lead on three plays and 122 yards offense.
Hanceville followed with a drive that included four consecutive completions by Michael Coker that gained 37 yards. The drive would be stopped by an interception from Kimbrell at the West Point 33.
The Warriors turned the ball over on downs with Hanceville in good field position from the West Point 40. That drive managed nothing for the Bulldogs as they punted again, this time West Point in possession from its 20.
One snap was all the Warriors needed with Beasley going to the end zone 80 yards for his second TD. A two point conversion by Riley Jones gave the visitors a 20 to 0 halftime cushion.
Nine plays for West Point in two quarters, 147 yards rushing and 53 passing gave them 200 for the break with three first downs.
The scoring drives were two plays, two plays and one play.
Hanceville had 27 plays by the half with its last drive coming to stop at the West Point 15 as time ran out following a 41 yard pass from Coker to Mason Wright.
Following a three and out by Hanceville to start the 3rd, West Point had a three play march that covered 65 yards and completed its scoring for the evening.
Beasley ran it around the right side 45 yards to paydirt. Kimbrill's conversion run made it 28 to 0.
To avoid a shutout, Hanceville had a series late in the 3rd that started at midfield. It was carried into the 4th when the Bulldogs would finish it on a 20 yard scoring pass by Coker to Lakelan Wallace. Wright took it in for the conversion with the Bulldogs now behind 28 to 8.
West Point then finished off the final 2 minutes and 51 seconds with three runs despite bad high snaps from center out of the shotgun formation. The Warriors got the ball to the Hanceville 18 when time expired.
For the contest, the Warriors gained 297 yards offense, seven first downs and had 19 snaps total.
Beasley stood out with 200 yards gained on four touches. His ability to sprint downfield as the plays were executed, no doubt thrilled the West Point coaches and its fan base.
Kimbrill had two passes completed for 53 yards and a touchdown.
Coker managed to get nine completions for Hanceville and 157 yards total. Wright had the longest reception, 41 yards and Wallace caught the TD that accounted for 20.
The season officially begins next Monday with West Point on the road to play Lawrence County.
Photo courtesy of ahsfhs.org
