The Selma Times-Journal

Eric Hiott’s first official game as a head coach didn’t exactly go as scripted. The Dallas County Hornets fell in their season opener to the Maplesville Red Devils 36-6.

After electing to receive, the Devils’ Marcus Wilson took the opening kickoff down the middle of the field for an 85-yard touchdown run. Josh Smith tacked on the point after and gave the Devils a lead that they never relinquished, 7-0.

After stopping the home standing Hornets on four downs, the Devils strung together a drive fueled by a 15-yard pass interference penalty. Andrews scrambled from 32-yards out into the end zone for their second score of the half pushing their lead to 14-0.

Dallas County threatened to score at the end of the half, stringing together a drive that took them from their own 21 to inside the Maplesville 35.

But penalties moved them back to around midfield.

The Hornets struggled a majority of the game with penalties. DCHS was flagged 16 times for 125 yards. "Some of the penalties were just absolutely horrible,&uot; Hiott. "Blocking the back, wideouts and linemen jumping off sides is unexcusable and that’s something we’ve got to correct.&uot;

Both squads left the field for the intermission.

In the lockerroom coach Eric Hiott told his Hornets that he wanted them to come out and put some points on the board in the second half.

Brett Collins took the kickoff from Maplesville into the end zone from 87-yards away.

A holding penalty negated the score as well as any DCHS momentum that came with it.

Maplesville banged out a drive that started at the DCHS 43-yard line and rolled along to the 12-yard line.

Things went from bad to worse for the Hornets around the 8:50 mark of the fourth quarter. McGhee took the snap from his own 20 a busted play lost 15-yards. The quarterback had the ball knocked from his hand by Regis Lassiter and into the awaiting arms of Smith

for the score. After the point after, the Devils led 28-0.

Back-to-back penalties moved the Hornets from their own 19 after the kickoff to their own four.

Two plays later, McGhee was picking himself up off the turf after being

swarmed and sacked by a host of Devils. The safety pushed the score to 30-0.

With 8:29 left in the game

The safety kick was brought back for a score by Nick Andrews from 55-yards out.

DCHS blocked the extra point, 36-0.

DCHS pushed a late score across after a punt return from Stubbs set them up inside the Devils 15-yard line.

The Hornets will be on the road Friday at

Livingston High to open the region. That game kicksoff at 7 p.m.