Andalusia’s Demetrius Reed broke through Straughn’s defensive line and scored a 58-yard touchdown on a fake punt play late in the fourth quarter to help lead his team to a 20-7 victory late over rival Straughn Friday night.

The play proved to be the spark the Bulldogs needed after trailing the Tigers by one point all the way until the fourth quarter.

Andalusia coach Brian Seymore said it was the right time to try a fake punt out.

“We watched them on film for the last two years and we saw a certain alignment that they got into in a punt-block situation and we saw we had it,” Seymore said. “We knew it was open. It was pretty much a one-man miss and Demetrius Reed took care of that.”

Straughn coach Trent Taylor said he should have made a better decision.

“I made a stupid coaching mistake and I didn’t call timeout when I should have,” Taylor said.

After Reed’s touchdown run, Andalusia’s T.K. Bullard finished the drive with a carry for a two-point conversion.

The defense held Straughn (0-1) on downs in the Tigers’ next possession to their own 40-yard line.

Andalusia senior quarterback Kenneth Chambers decided that he wanted the ball and carried it through the gap for a 47-yard touchdown carry with 2:38 left in the game.

“In that last play, the quarterback called it and he wanted it in his hands,” Seymore said. “He made a big play.”

Straughn was the first to put points on the scoreboard when Colten Lewis ran it in from 29 yards out.

Later in the first quarter, Andalusia (1-0) answered when Chambers passed to junior running back Derrick King for a 63-yard touchdown. The Bulldogs missed the following extra point.

On Straughn’s last possession, Andalusia’s Johnny Jones intercepted Straughn’s Josh Dewrell with 16.1 seconds left in the game to seal the win for the Bulldogs.

Andalusia’s Marcus Jones had 10 carries for 19 yards in rushing and Chambers had 16 carries for 43 yards and one touchdown. In passing, Chambers was 5-for-13 for 45 yards and one touchdown.

Straughn’s Lewis had eight carries for 48 yards.

Seymore said the win Friday night was “big” for everybody.

“I’m proud of our players,” he said. “There wasn’t any thing going right for us almost the whole game. Our defense played great and kept us in the whole game.

“I’m just so proud of these kids,” he said. “I’m really proud of my staff and they did a great job. We were fortunate on that fake punt. I’m so proud of our kids, but this was for the community.”

Next Friday night, Andalusia will host its first region opponent, B.C. Rain, while Straughn will travel to play Choctaw County.