BREWTON – Andalusia opened the Trent Taylor era of Bulldog football with a 25-0 thumping of the T.R. Miller Tigers Friday night.

It was the first time since 1987 that T.R. Miller had been shut out.

After a rain delay of an hour and a half, the Bulldogs won the toss and deferred to the second half.

Chase Hopkins’ opening kickoff chased the Tigers’ return man into the end zone for a touchback.

T.R. Miller then began to drive down the field, but on a fourth down play, quarterback Caleb Winton was sacked by a host of Bulldogs to force a turnover on downs.

The Bulldogs took over on their own 40-yard line, and picked up 27-yard run from Jamal Hourel to start the drive.

Hourel pulled off another run of 14 yards, but the Bulldogs were held by the Tigers on a fourth down play and turned the ball over.

The Bulldogs forced the Tigers into a three-and-out, and a punt.

On the second play of the next series, Hourel took a handoff and went 45 yards for a touchdown. The extra point was no good, but the Bulldogs held a 6-0 lead with just over a minute left in the first quarter.

Andalusia quickly regained possession of the football after a jarring hit knocked the ball loose, and a Bulldog was there to scoop it up for the recovery.

The turnover, though, didn’t lead to any points as the Bulldogs’ 18-yard field goal attempt went wide of the mark,

The two squads went back-and-forth the remainder of the first half, but neither offense could get much done.

Andalusia took over to start the second half, but was forced to punt.

Hopkins booted the ball down the field, and it was marked down on the Tigers’ 10-yard line.

A few drives later, the Bulldogs were forced to punt again, and again Hopkins dropped one inside the Tigers’ 10-yard line. This time it was downed on the 6-yard line.

Two plays later, a host of Bulldogs hit Winton as he was throwing the ball, and the ball landed in the arms of Antonio Gurley, who returned it 8 yards for a touchdown. The extra-point was no good, and the Bulldogs lead 12-0 with three minutes left in the third quarter.

The Bulldogs’ defense continued to swarm the Tigers, and forced two consecutive turnovers-on-downs.

With just over eight minutes remaining, AHS quarterback Taylor Griffin went 20-yards down to the Tigers’ 3-yard line, and on the next play, punched it in for the score.

On the ensuing kickoff, a thunderous hit from a Bulldog jarred the ball loose and another Bulldog was there to scoop it up around the 10-yard line.

Two plays later, Griffin strolled into the end zone for his second touchdown of the night. The extra-point was good, and the Bulldogs were up 25-0 with six minutes left in the contest.

After forcing a punt, the Bulldogs were able to run out the remainder of the clock for a season opening victory.

“I thought we did some good things,” AHS coach Trent Taylor said. “We left too many points out on the field in the first half, but I was impressed with the way our front line played on both sides of the ball. I love it for the kids they deserve this. This won’t be our defining moment, though, we still have a lot of football left to play.”

With the win, Andalusia starts the season 1-0.

The Bulldogs will be at home next Friday, hosting the U.M.S.-Wright Bulldogs.