“We got manhandled,” Florala coach Stan Gooden said of his team’s 55-0 loss to McKenzie Friday night.

The Wildcats hosted McKenzie in their first region game of the season.

Gooden said it was a matter of “us not playing well and we didn’t get off blocks.”

“They were more physical than we were,” he said. “At times, we looked like a deer that stepped in front of a truck.

“Instead of playing on our toes, we played on our heels,” he said. “We didn’t do a whole lot offensively and defensively. We didn’t play well at all.”

Gooden said there is still much work to be done.

“We’re going to go back to work this weekend and evaluate everything,” he said. “We looked at it a little bit (Friday night). We saw who was giving us effort and we may have to move more personnel around.

“It’s going to be about going back to the fundamentals,” he said. “Basically, it’s blocking, tackling and carrying out assignments and doing what you’re coached to do.”

The Wildcats move to 1-1, 0-1 in Class 1A, Region 2, and will host Class 1A powerhouse Brantley next Friday night.

“It’s not going to be any easier next week with Brantley coming to Florala,” Gooden said. “We didn’t compete (Friday night) and there is no one to blame, but me. We’re going to get that rectified and we’re going to take care of that Monday.”