By Blake Deshazo
The Selma Times-Journal

For the first time in 14 years, Dallas County has back-to-back winning records and is headed to the playoffs again after a 48-12 victory over Billingsley Thursday night.

After turning the ball over on their first series, the Hornets (6-4) never looked back in their win over Billingsley (4-5) on senior night.

“I’m excited for our senior class,” said Dallas County head coach Marty Smith. “To have this opportunity for them on senior night here in the last game at Martin Field, it’s exciting for them, and I’m just happy to get to see them walk off and enjoy this.”

Dallas County threw an interception and missed a field goal on its first two possessions, but the Hornets’ defense stood tall.

“To start with we played fairly well, and then we had some turnovers and mistakes that kind of let them get control of the game, and then it was an uphill climb from there,” said Billingsley head coach Tyson McLean.

A 59-yard pass from Larry Starks to John Callens put the Bears in scoring position on the Dallas County 4-yard line, but Kendrick Wilson scooped up a Billingsley fumble, giving the Hornets offense the ball.

“We wanted to try some different things and work on some different things early on in the ball game … we had some miscues and had an opportunity to get it on film,” Smith said. “But the good thing about it is our defense rose up and had our back.”

After a 62-yard run from Calvin Starks, he ran it again for six yards, putting the Hornets on the board and giving them the lead. Kenchavious James added the two-point conversion to make it 8-0. Later, Starks added his second touchdown of the night from four yards out, making the Hornets lead 14-0.

A pass interference call put the Bears in positive territory on their next possession, but quarterback Larry Starks was hit hard and fumbled the ball.

Joshua Haskell recovered it, putting the ball back in the hands of the Hornets’ offense.

After runs of 26 yards from Derrion Atchison and 15 yards from Darrell Moorer, Starks added his third touchdown from seven yards out, making it 20-0.

Atchison scored his first touchdown of the night from 11 yards out to cap off a 62-yard drive for the Hornets, making it 28-0. Starks scored his fourth touchdown of the night after returning a Billingsley punt for 49 yards, giving the Hornets a 34-0 lead. Billingsley finally got on the board with 3:12 left in the third after Smith put in the reserves. On fourth down with two yards to go, James Woods hit Carlton McCary for a 48-yard touchdown to make the score 34-6, Dallas County.

The Hornets padded their lead on the next drive with a 41-yard touchdown run from Moorer, making it 41-6.

Billingsley answered back with their second and final score of the night on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Woods.

Dallas County will travel to Beauregard next Friday night for the first round of the playoffs.