Seymore: We’ve got to do a better job

ASHFORD — “In 18 years of coaching, that was probably one of the most disappointing games I’ve been through.”

That’s what Andalusia head football coach Brian Seymore said following the Bulldogs’ 37-7 region loss to Ashford on Friday night at W.H. Brown Stadium.

Seymore continued to say that all the fault falls on his shoulders.

“We’ve got to do a better job getting our kids prepared and ready to play,” he said. “That falls on my shoulders and my shoulders start at the top.”

The Yellow Jackets (4-0 overall, 2-0 in Class 4A, Region 2) stepped on the gas pedal and didn’t let up for the entire night.

After Andalusia couldn’t get anything going on its first drive, the Jackets drove 46 yards in 7 minutes, 15 seconds to score their first touchdown of the night, which came on a 5-yard pass from Hayden “Hootie” Harrison to Camren Matthews.

With a 6-0 lead going into the second quarter, Ashford wasted little time when Stevonte Tullis found a lane for a 28-yard TD rush with 11:50 to go in the first half. Andalusia’s Ardarrius Bogan caught the 2-point conversion pass attempt, and the Jackets led 12-0.

Plagued with injuries, the Bulldogs’ offense couldn’t get anything going as Ashford countered with a 15-play, 41-yard drive that was capped on a 2-yard TD rush by Dequan Snell with 3:03 left in the first half.

The Bulldogs again found themselves in trouble on their next offensive possession, facing a 4th-and-30 play and had to boot it away.

Ashford went to the break ahead 18-0.

Seymore said he’s not “quitting” on the players.

“I love these guys — we talked about going back to the basics, the fundamentals and starting from the bottom and working our way back up,” the coach said. “I think at times we probably have read our press clippings and see people talking about how good a team we’re going to have, but you’ve got play on the field on Friday nights. That’s the key. That’s what we’re not doing right now.”

In the second half, Andalusia played harder, but couldn’t stop the Yellow Jackets as they tacked on a 20-yard fumble recovery and a 4-yard rush for a touchdown to take a monster 31-0 lead. Ashford’s Davonta Williams scored on the fumble recovery that came out of Bulldogs quarterback Taylor Griffin’s hands, and Beonta Thomas scored on the 4-yard TD rush.

Harrison then found Tullis for a 14-yard TD pass for a 37-0 lead with 9:21 left in the fourth.

Andalusia freshman quarterback Bridges Anderson came in for Griffin on the next series and after a 19-yard rush from James Montgomery, spurt the Bulldogs to the Ashford 4-yard line after a nice 28-yard gain.

Montgomery scored two plays later on a 4-yard rush with 5:58 to go.

Andalusia (1-3, 1-1) next plays St. James next week to start a three-game home stand.

Seymore said the credit goes to Ashford.

“They did a better job than us tonight,” he said. “I congratulate Ashford and wish them the best of luck. I think what we’ve got to do is work on Andalusia.”

Late in the first half, Andalusia junior linebacker Ashton Elmore came out suffering from concussion-like symptoms.

Seymore said they held him out of the second half to be on the safe side.

Ashford’s Devon Murry, who was a running force for the Yellow Jackets, gained 59 yards on 16 carries to lead AHS. Thomas had 53 yards.