McAdams had its best half of the season in a 31-6 loss to St. Andrew's. Down 28-0 at the half, the Bulldogs outscored the Saints 6-3 after intermission and outgained them 146-94.
To say McAdams was shorthanded is an understatement. The Bulldogs had 12 players and one of them, Jattyarus Roundtree, spent much of the game on the bench after an early injury. Most of the players never came off the field, but McAdams got better as the game went on.
“I am so proud of them, and the community of McAdams knowing the situation we are in,” said coach Roy Rigsby. “I think we are beginning to find our identity. Who we are.”
It didn't start off well for the Bulldogs. On the first play from scrimmage, Boyd McCulloch streaked past the McAdams defense and Friend Walker hit him in stride for a 64-yard touchdown and a 7-0 St. Andrew's lead 15 seconds into the game.
Three and a half minutes later, Connor Dunnigan ran seven yards around right end for a TD and a 14-0 lead. It was a first of two TDs set up when St. Andrew's had a short field after the McAdams punter tried to run from punt formation.
St. Andrew’s added two second quarter TDs on passes by Friend.
McAdams put together its best drive after the second St. Andrew's TD, moving 77 yards, mainly on the running of Ed Stewart, to a third-and-one three yards from the Saints' end zone. But a procedure penalty moved the Bulldogs back to the eight and two running players came up a yard short of the first down.
The Bulldogs came up empty on another promising drive to begin the third quarter, moving from their own 20 to the St. Andrew's 15, before a fourth down pass fell incomplete.
McAdams scored in dramatic fashion on the final play of the game. From the McAdams 45, Jay Harmon threw long, Ja'myran Cross outfought a defender for the ball inside the five and stepped into the end zone.
Because there were only zeros on the clock, there was no conversion attempt.
McAdams defense stopped the Saints in Bulldog territory three times in the second half, forcing field goal attempts. The first two sailed wide before Rolen Fanning connected from 40 yards. Fanning was also four for four on PATs, put two kickoffs in the end zone and had one punt for 39 yards.
Stewart carried 25 times for 155 yards, with most of the yardage after the first hit. It takes more than one player to bring him down.
“He’s a determine runner,” Rigsby said. “He has a very big heart. In football, short doesn’t mean small, and he plays extremely large. He’s probably 5-6.
The Bulldogs finished with 279 yards of offense, to 321 for St. Andrew's. Friend supplied most of the Saints' offense, completing 11 of 19 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns.
St. Andrew's is 2-2 and McAdams 0-4.
The Bulldogs begin Region 2-1A play Friday with a road game against Coldwater. The Cougars are 0-3 and have been shut out in all three games.
“They look kind of young at key positions,” Rigsby said after viewing film of Coldwater. “It kind of reminds me of us.”
Rigsby expects to have two players back. “When I get one player back, it’s like I get two or three back.”
Middle School Team
The McAdams middle school team began the season with a 24-0 victory over Leake County. “They did exactly what we wanted them to do,” said Rigsby, who also coaches the middle school team.Touchdowns were scored on runs by Jayden Young and Alonzo Teague, a pass from Teague to Ander Brown and a fumble return by Joshua Cole.
