The Ashville Bulldogs racked up 259 yards of total offense in a 22-20 win against the West End Patriots last week, ending a losing streak that spanned more than two seasons.

“We’re excited and exuberant,” head coach Bubba Walls said.  “This is the first time a lot of these kids have been around a win.  Some of our older players were freshmen the last time this program won.”

Players’ moods were so upbeat, he added, “they were even excited about practicing on Monday.  That lasted for about 30 minutes until they realized it was still practice as usual.”

Keeping the win in perspective has resulted in “a decent week so far” as the 1-1 Bulldogs prepared to host region opponent Hokes Bluff at 7 p.m. today.  The Eagles, who moved with Ashville to Class 3A, are 0-2.  “They’ve had some kids injured, but they’re still pretty good,” Walls said.

Freshman quarterback E.J. Moss ran for 136 yards and one touchdown on 21 carries against West End, and he completed nine of 10 passes for 82 yards and another touchdown, a 52-yard score caught by Chris Brooks.  He also connected with Tommy Bothwell on four passes for 26 yards.

Junior Josh Johnson was the team’s leading rusher with 61 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries.  

Defensively, Ashville was led by senior Austin Lance, who made 8 tackles and had four assists; junior Tobias Morrow, six tackles and three assists; senior Cortney Williams, five tackles and two assists; and senior Drake Connell, five tackles and three assists.   

Connell also blocked a 20-yard field goal attempt that would have given West End the lead in the fourth quarter.  The Bulldogs held off another near-score by the Patriots with 1:30 left in the game, when juniors Alex Hale and Chris Brooks stopped a fourth-and-goal rushing attempt on Ashville’s four-yard line.