Lions top Bulldogs 42-13, hit 3-1 mark

Every time White Hall made a play Friday night, Searcy had an answer.

Searcy defeated White Hall 42-13 at Bulldog Stadium in what was both teams’ conference opener.

White Hall coach Daryl Patton said he was disappointed to see his team continue to make some of the same mistakes the Bulldogs have been trying to fix.

“If we can quit hurting ourselves, I think we can have a good football team,” Patton said. “But when you’re playing good opponents, and then we’re hurting ourselves time and time and time again, we’re just putting ourselves behind the 8-ball.”

Searcy (3-1) forced three turnovers in the first half, turning each into a touchdown to pull away.

White Hall (0-4) junior Marquis Thorns intercepted a Searcy pass on the game’s opening drive, but Searcy sophomore Derrick Young took it right back three plays later. The Lions quickly turned it into a touchdown after back-to-back runs by Curtis Goodrich, taking a 7-0 lead.

Young picked off his second pass on White Hall’s next play, and the Lions again capitalized to lead 13-0.

The Bulldogs responded quickly with a 50-yard touchdown run from senior Kylon Davis, then forced Searcy to punt. The Bulldogs got close to midfield before Searcy senior Will Evans forced and recovered a fumble. The Lions once again turned the turnover into points on a 1-yard run by junior Cooper Jones.

White Hall forced another punt on Searcy’s next possession, then picked up a first down. But after a late penalty backed the Bulldogs up on fourth down, Jones took the Bulldogs’ punt 33 yards to make it 28-7.

The Bulldogs drove the length of the field and reached the Lions’ 6-yard line, looking to trim the deficit just before halftime. Instead, White Hall turned it over on downs one play after a Searcy sack.

The Bulldogs trailed 28-7 at halftime despite outgaining the Lions 163-127.

White Hall didn’t turn the ball over in the second half but was stopped on fourth down three times.

Injuries have plagued the Bulldogs, and Friday was no exception. Patton said White Hall lost its long-snapper during the game, taking field goals and extra points off the table.

“We’re just so banged up,” Patton said. “It seems like every time I turn around, we’re losing another lineman, another linebacker, two areas we don’t have anybody. We’re depleted at those positions. Searcy, I thought they came in, did what they had to do, do what I would have done. They ran the ball at us and threw the ball out quick to the perimeter.”

Searcy quarterback Johnny Bell completed 15 of 21 passes for 155 yards and three touchdowns, two of those to Jesse Sumpter. Rickey Love rushed for 70 yards, while Goodrich had 59.

White Hall quarterback Wyatt Golden completed 19 of 30 passes for 126 yards. Senior receiver Chris Joe was his favorite target, catching 11 passes for 50 yards. Davis finished with 113 rushing yards, while Xavier Wallace finished with 70. Each had a rushing score.