By By Will Bardwell/staff writer
August 30, 2003
The visiting Northwest Rankin Cougars proved too tough an opponent for their Northeast Lauderdale hosts on Friday night, downing the Trojans in their season opener 23-0.
Offensively, though successful at times, Northeast Lauderdale never managed to string together any big plays. Sophomore quarterback Maurice Langston was 8-of-16 for Northeast Lauderdale. Dontray Walker, the Trojans' senior running back, finished with 53 rushing yards.
Trojans head coach Steve Nelson said despite the final score his defense played well except for a few big plays.
Although they were overmatched by a bigger Cougar team, the Trojan defense held Northwest Rankin in check for most of the game.
Northeast Lauderdale's offense gave up an interception to provide the Cougars with their first possession early in the first quarter, but the Trojan defense forced and recovered a fumble on Northwest Rankin's first offensive play of the game.
The Trojans created another turnover with three minutes remaining in the first half when senior defensive back Calvin Scott pulled in an interception.
Northwest Rankin led 10-0 at the half.
Despite an oftentimes successful effort by their defense, big plays haunted Northeast Lauderdale throughout the game. The Trojans gave up their first points on an 81-yard touchdown run by Northwest Rankin's Jeremy Bibbs, who finished with over 100 yards on the ground.
After holding the Cougar offense to two field goals a 40-yarder in the second quarter and a 46-yarder early in the third quarter Northeast Lauderdale gave up another costly play. Late in the third quarter, the Cougars returned a punt from their own 40-yard line to the Trojans' 10 yard line. The return set up a 2-yard touchdown run by Bibbs four plays later.