Under the Lights — Week Two

BY D MARK MITCHELL FOR THE OBSERVER

LEE COUNTY — Lee-Scott Academy (LSA) (2-0) beat Loachapoka 21-12 last Friday night. For a more in-depth look at this game, read Noah Griffith’s article on B1.

Beauregard won its first game of the season, 8-6 over Anniston. The Hornets will hold their first home game on Sept 6 when it hosts Marbury. Benjamin Russell lost 28-35 to Clay Central and will host Calera on Sept. 6.

Beulah (2-0) beat Lanett 38-21 and will host Dadeville Friday night. For more information on the Beulah v. Lanett game, see the article by David Yohn on B2.

Chambers Academy beat Fort Dale Academy 36-7. It will play Valiant Cross in Montgomery on Sept 6

Dadeville lost to Handley 44-21 and will travel to Beulah Sept 6. The Glenwood Gators beat Elba 49-22 and will go up against B.B. Comer Friday night.

Lafayette beat Central Hayneville 41-14 and will host Ranburne on Sept. 6.

Notasulga beat Barbour County 43-6 and will host Autaugaville this week.

Reeltown beat Trinty 20-3. The Rebels will play at Horseshoe Bend Sept. 6

Smiths Station fell to Valley 36-9 and will host the Central Red Devils Friday night.

BY DAVID YOHN FOR THE OBSERVER

BEULAH — The Lanett Panthers were just 39 seconds from going to the locker room with a 14-10 lead, but it was the Beulah Bobcats who got the last laugh with a 38-21 win. Beulah improved to 2-0 for the first time since 2019.

Aided by a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty following their go-ahead touchdown, the Panthers forced the Bobcats to start at their own 20-yard line. Even with 33 seconds remaining in the half, it seemed that the Panthers would enjoy the halftime lead. That’s when Beulah’s fireworks show began. They took to the air and found senior wide receiver Drew Duvall for a gain of nearly 40 yards. The Panthers were guilty of a facemask infraction, so Beulah suddenly was in position to score. With just five seconds on the clock, they found the end zone and took a 17-10 lead.

Beulah’s senior wide receiver and kick returner changed the complexion of the game on the second half kickoff. Reed Maloof found no room along the visitor’s sideline, so he reversed course and took it 85 yards to the house for another Bobcat touchdown. Lanett never fully recovered after falling behind 24-14, and Beulah went on to win 38-21.

“That’s perseverance, just not giving up, not quitting,” Johnson said. “I’m just so proud for these young men. They’ve been through a lot and we’ve been through some tough times. But these past couple of years have been good to us. We’ve got to keep fighting.”

Beulah held Lanett to a three and out on the opening possession of the game, and then efficiently drove 62 yards in just over three minutes for the first touchdown of the game.

Freshman WR Asher Arnett hauled in the 28-yard pass from QB Kason Kalla after RB Khamoni Lindsey rushed for twenty-four yards on four carries earlier in the drive.

Lanett’s second possession resulted in just one first down before stalling. A high snap to the punter resulted in the Bobcats tackling him at the Panther’s 13-yard line.

Lanett’s defense stiffened, however, and only yielded a field goal. Nonetheless, Beulah was off to a 10-0 lead with 4:03 still remaining in the first quarter.

Lanett managed a first down on a third-and-16 scramble, but just four plays later Duvall picked off the Panther’s pass. Again, the Lanett defense held Beulah on a fourth-and-five play that ended up a yard short of the first down marker.

The Panthers started their fourth drive inauspiciously, when JoJo Wilson blew up Lanett’s first down play. A dropped pass on second-and-15 made it seem inevitable that Lanett would end up punting. After picking up exactly 15 yards, Lanett was in trouble again until QB Fredrick Broughton rambled for 35 yards on third and long. Beulah was guilty of an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty a play later, and that’s when RB Tyron Brooks bulldozed his way to the end zone from nine yards out. Beulah controlled the ball for nearly five minutes but were stifled on a fourth-and-three rush. Lanett then quickly capitalized with a 45-yard strike to Terrell Staples. Lanett had its first lead at 14-7, but the aforementioned fireworks were about to start for Beulah. The Bobcats’ 80-yard drive in just 34 seconds gave them the 17-14 lead at the half.

The two teams exchanged punts after Beulah returned the second half kickoff to take a 24-14 lead. Lanett daringly went for it on 4th-and-1 from their own 21-yard line, and the dare paid off. Just two plays later, however, another Beulah senior, Demarion Foreman, intercepted the errant Lanett pass and returned it 20 yards to the Lanett 20-yard line. Barely one minute later, RB Lindsey found the end zone from three yards out. Beulah enjoyed their largest lead of the game at 31-14. Lanett fought back, quickly going 80 yards to cut the deficit to then with 9:45 remaining in the game. Beulah then looked to run out the clock with the ground game. Lindsey’s 27-yard burst seemed to seal the deal, and six