The Ashville Bulldogs face a big challenge Friday in their season and region opener at Saks, according to head coach Bubba Walls.  

“They’re not real flashy,” he said.  “They’re just going to come out and do what they do, and they do it well.  They’re very athletic, they’ve got a lot of team speed and size up front, and they put a lot of pressure on defense.  I would not be surprised if they’re battling for the number-one spot in the region.”

Walls hopes for a better outcome than the Bulldogs were handed last week in their pre-season jamboree, a 35-0 loss to Walter Wellborn.  “We had opportunities to score and have a few big plays, but we didn’t execute.  We didn’t tackle well, and we had two turnovers that really hurt us.  We played hard, just not very well, but the only choice we have is to get better.”

Although the team approaches the season seeking its first win in two seasons, players’ attitudes are good, Walls said, and the jamboree proved helpful in identifying areas for improvement, such as protecting the football.

“If we can do that Friday, we’ll have a fighting chance.”