Ashford loses to Alabama Christian

ASHFORD — It didn’t take Ashford head coach Chip Harris long to point to the turning point Friday night in Ashford’s 21-13 loss to region foe Alabama Christian.

It came one minute into the second quarter. Alabama Christian led 7-0 on a clock-eating, 13-play drive in the first quarter. But the Yellow Jackets regained momentum when muffed punt attempt gave Ashford the ball at the Eagle 17.

Related Information:

  · Friday Football
Game highlights, band halftime shows, stats, photos and more.

Three plays later, facing fourth-and-two at the Eagle 9, Mike Ray took the ball off right tackle and lunged for the first down yardage. The ball popped out, and Alabama Christian’s Austin Lovett scooped it up and headed the other way.

By the time the most of the Yellow Jackets knew what happened, Lovett was 30 yards down the field. His 91-yard fumble return made it 14-0, a hole Ashford was never able to emerge from.

The Yellow Jackets were able come within eight late in the fourth quarter after its only sustained drive of the game. However, the Eagles’ defense stiffened and Ashford was never able to mount a threat as the game ended.

Ashford drops to 4-4 overall and 3-3 in Class 4A Region 2. The Eagles improve to 5-3 and 4-2. Ashford travels to St. James next week for its final region game with a playoff berth possibly still on the line.

“We just couldn’t get anything going,” Harris said. “We couldn’t get a rhythm.“

The Eagles took a cue from Auburn University offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, using an up-tempo offense to move the ball down the field on its first possession.

As soon as the official whistled the ball in play, the Eagles snapped the ball.

The Eagles used it to drive 68 yards in 13 plays, scoring on a 1-yard plunge by quarterback Brooks Williams.

After Lovett’s fumble return made it 14-0, Ashford answered, taking advantage of a Ladavion Williams interception inside Eagle territory. After James Gardner connected with Justin Raybon for 18 yards, Williams carried the final 3 to cut the lead to 14-7 with 6:19 left in the second quarter.

But ACA used the feet and of sophomore Danny Madison to answer back. Madison rushed for 35 yards and caught two passes for 20 yards, to account for 55 of ACA’s 68 yards on the drive, capped off by a 2-yard run from Jordan Creel from the Wildcat formation. The TD gave ACA a 21-7 lead at the half.

ACA outgained Ashford 136-74 in the first half. Madison had 64 rushing yards and 35 receiving yards.

After an uneventful third quarter, Ashford put together an effective 80-yard drive, ending when Gardner connected with Terry White in the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown on fourth-and-goal with 4:47 left. The extra point failed, making it 21-13.

Ashford held ACA on its next possession and forced a punt, but the Yellow Jackets were out of time outs and unable to mount a drive as the clock dwindled.

“The bottom line is we have to take care of ourself and come back Monday and start getting ready for St. James,” Harris said.