Demopolis steamrolls Dallas County for Region 3 victory

10-6-17 — Plantersville, Ala. — Demopolis’ Demetrius Davis hauls in a 15-yard TD reception from Andrew Patterson during the Tigers’ area win over the Dallas County Hornets.

PLANTERSVILLE – In a game that saw 29 points scored before Dallas County’s offense took the field for the very first time, Demopolis moved one step closer to a Class 5A, Region 3 title. The Tigers waxed the Hornets 59-6 Friday in a contest that ended with a running clock.

Demopolis opened the scoring on a 20-yard touchdown run by A.J. Jackson with 10:39 remaining on the first quarter clock. Jackson added the conversion run to push it to 8-0.

10-6-17 — Plantersville, Ala. — Demopolis’ Tavian Brown (25) and Fred Haywood bring down a Dallas County runner during the Tigers’ region win over the Hornets.

Undaunted, fleet-footed 5-6 senior Calvin Starks scooped the ensuing kickoff on the bounce and bolted 90 yards for a touchdown to cut it to 8-6. Alexander Besteder blocked the extra point attempt to preserve the lead.

“I was happy with the way our offense and the defense played. They played extremely well. I guess the biggest disappointment was probably kickoff,” Demopolis coach Brian Seymore said. “Tonight, we gave up a couple of returns that got over 50. (Starks) is a good little runner. We didn’t do a good job of tackling. We didn’t do a good job of staying in our lanes.”

All illusions of a competitive contest quickly dissipated thereafter. Demopolis hit a 55-yard pass to Tyquan Alston to set up a 3-yard touchdown run by Antonio Besteder. Jackson’s conversion run made it 16-6.

Tyler Hale pounced on a fumble on the ensuing kickoff to put Demopolis in striking distance of an early blowout. Jackson later scored on a run from five yards out to move it to 23-6. Dallas County then sent its offense onto the field for the first time to little avail. Demopolis quickly shut down the Hornets and handed the ball back to Andrew Patterson, who found DeDe Davis in the end zone with 2:20 left in the opening frame to set it at 30-6.

10-6-17 — Plantersville, Ala. — Demopolis’ Alexander Besteder looks for running room during the Tigers’ area win over the Dallas County Hornets.

Things got no better for the Hornets as Alexander Besteder added a 3-yard touchdown run in the second quarter ahead of Antonio Besteder’s 80-yard scoring run. Antonio Besteder than scored on a 16-yard run in the third quarter before Peyton Stevenson punched it in from 10 yards out in the fourth.

“Having the week off to prepare, we added a few more wrinkles here. We’ve got some other stuff we’re working on. I felt like our kids came out of the locker room ready to play,” Seymore said.

Antonio Besteder paced the Tigers with 148 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries. Jackson finished with 86 yards and two scores on eight rushes. Alston caught two passes for 88 yards. Patterson was 8 for 12 passing for 153 yards and a touchdown.

Demopolis amassed 481 yards of total offense while allowing the Hornets to gain only 40 yards.

The Tigers (5-1, 4-0) can clinch the Class 5A, Region 3 title next Friday with a win over Sumter Central.

“We’re looking forward to it. Obviously we’ve got a storm coming in, but we’ll play that by ear,” Seymore said. “I think our kids will come with a workmanlike attitude and go to work, make sure we work on the little things, and try to get better each and every week.”

10-6-17 — Plantersville, Ala. — Demopolis’ Antonio Besteder breaks free on an 80-yard touchdown run during the Tigers’ area win over the Dallas County Hornets.