Turnovers plague Longhorns in loss to Bessemer
BESSEMER — Marengo Academy was missing something Thursday night and it showed early on as the Longhorns limped to a 30-13 loss to Class AAA power Bessemer Academy.
“We’re not real healthy,” Marengo coach Robby James said. “We came out with several guys out and more got hurt tonight.”
Marengo entered without junior standout Hayden Huckabee and soon lost another junior difference maker in Cason Cook.
“I know when Hayden gets back, y’all are going to be a different team,” Bessemer coach Josh Wright told the Marengo players near midfield following the game.
Personnel matters aside, the Longhorns did themselves few favors Thursday night as they turned the ball over six times in the loss.
“You can’t do that against a team like this,” James said. “We hung in there good, but we just got out played.”
Marengo fumbled the ball on the first play from scrimmage as Marcus Moody scooped it up for the Rebels. Bessemer cashed in three plays later when Brandon Cook scored from two yards out.
Josh Boles added to the lead in the second quarter when he scored on a 64-yard touchdown pass from P.J. Garrett. The two-point conversion play pushed the Bessemer lead to 16-0.
Marengo could scarcely put drives together in the early going, turning the ball over four times in the first half.
“They made some mistakes and we were able to capitalize on them,” Wright said.
The Longhorns appeared to get back in the game with 7:07 left in the third when Shade Pritchett hauled in a 46-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Barkley to cut the deficit to 16-6.
Moore stretched the lead back out with 1:25 left in the third when he scored from 13 yards out. Garrett added the conversion run to put it at 24-6.
Peyton Ramzey added a 27-yard touchdown catch in the fourth while Marengo’s Josh Holifield reeled off a 15-yard run the end zone to cap the scoring.
Pritchett ended the night with four catches for 87 yards and a score, accounting for all of the Marengo passing attack. Holifield ran the ball 20 times for 86 yards and a touchdown.
Carson Huckabee had 10 total tackles including 1.5 sacks while Hayden Hall had 10 tackles and a sack.
Marengo is set to host Clarke-Prep in its home opener next Friday night while Bessemer hosts Kingwood Thursday.
GAME BOX SCORE
Marengo Academy
First Downs – 8
Rushes – 44-139
Passing – 4-8-87
Total – 26
Penalties – 6-50
Fumbles – 3/3
Interceptions Thrown – 3
Punts 2-42.0
Bessemer Academy
First Downs – 10
Rushes – 22-56
Passing – 15-26-205
Total – 261
Penalties – 15-120
Fumbles – 1-0
Interceptions Thrown – 0
Punts – 5-35.6
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST – 10:58 – BA – Brandon Cook 2 run (Parker Bearden 2-pt pass from P.J. Garrett) – 8-0
2ND – 7:04 – BA – Josh Boles 64 pass from P.J. Garrett (Sidney Moore run) – 16-0
3RD – 7:07 – MA – Shade Pritchett 46 pass from Tyler Barkley (2-pt run fail) – 16-6
3RD – 1:25 – BA – Sidney Moore 13 run (P.J. Garrett run) – 24-6
4TH – 11:51 – BA – Peyton Ramzey 27 pass from P.J. Garrett (pass fail) – 30-6
4TH – 00:25 – MA – Josh Holifield 15 run (Kyle Friday kick) – 30-13