Andalusia kicker Courey Hopkins said he knew he had to make the 31-yard field goal attempt Friday night to help his team defeat fourth-ranked Straughn.

Early in the second quarter, the Bulldogs drove the ball down to the Straughn 15-yard line, and facing a fourth-and-15, Hopkins kicked the ball through the uprights to give his team a 3-0 advantage.

Hopkins’ field goal gave the Bulldogs (6-1, 5-0 in Class 4A, Region 2) their only offensive score for the night, and their first field goal this season.

“I knew I had to make it because we all figured it’d be a close game because we’re two very good teams,” Hopkins said.

Hopkins said he had been practicing well lately, which led to the field goal try.

“Courey has been kicking it good,” AHS coach Brian Seymore said. “He felt really good about his leg, and I asked (AHS special teams) coach (Jonathan Rasberry) how he did in the pre-game, and he said he was making them. I put him in there, and he knocked it straight through, no doubt. It was a big kick, a big kick.”

Hopkins, who started playing football in middle school, also kicks the extra points for the Bulldogs.