Charles Henderson White’s Duran Boykin gets a helping step from one of his teammates to break free of containment during Friday’s spring game.Boykin also had two interceptions, returning one for a touchdown, on defense.

Defense rules scrimmage

By KEVIN PEARCEY

Sports Editor

Duran Boykin returned an interception for a score and Bryan Williams hauled in a touchdown pass as the White defeated the Blue 14-7 in Charles Henderson’s spring scrimmage finale on Friday night.

"I was pleased with the effort on both sides of the ball," said Trojans’ head coach Hugh Fountain. "As far as hustling and getting after it. The thing I told them I was proudest of them for this spring, was that they got after it and hit each other whether they were on offense and defense. I’m proud of them for doing that."

For this year’s scrimmage Fountain allowed the players to conduct a draft, held Thursday night following practice.

"We let each one of them pick what they had," said Fountain. "It seemed to pan out pretty good. I figured they’d be pretty closely matched and they really were. It could have went either way. Give the White team credit, they sucked it up and got the job done."

With 11 starters returning on both offense and defense for the Trojans next season, each team featured a good blend of youth and experience. All three scores came in the first half of the game as the defenses, for both squads, took over in the second.

Pete Van Horn headed up the Blue team offense at quarterback with Roderick Burden working the same position on the White team. Boykin picked off a third and long pass from Van Horn on the Blue’s first series of the game and returned it 20 yards for the touchdown. Josh Post added the extra point.

The White seemed to have the advantage on special teams with Post, the Trojans’ returning placekicker and punter from last year. The Blue’s blocking broke down on back-up punter Daniel Porter several times during the ball game. The first time it happened, Porter appeared to be caught behind the line on fourth and 18 but managed to outrace the pursuit down the right sideline for the first.

Two plays later, though, Boykin was there for his second interception of the night.

Boykin had the longest run from scrimmage, for either team, on his next carry, breaking free for a 40-yard gain to the Blue’s seven-yard line.

"Duran’s a good all-around ball player," said Fountain. "But we have several guys like that."

Following a sack, Burden hit a falling down Williams in the corner of the endzone on third and 18. With Post’s PAT the White led 14-0.

The Blue finally scored when its defense forced a fumble out of Burden and Van Horn found Tyson Pugh for an 18-yard touchdown pass. Porter added the extra point.

The Blue had a chance to cut into the lead some more just before the half, but a field goal attempt by Porter went wide right.

The second half belonged to defense.

The White started out by stopping Porter on a fourth down punt attempt, not allowing the junior to escape as he had in the first half. But penalties set the White offense back and a 47-yard field goal try by Post sailed wide.

Clint Pugh took a pass from Van Horn 10 yards and a flag for late hit pushed the Blue into the White’s territory, a position they would maintain for a majority of the second half.

"They had several opportunities, but they just couldn’t get it in," said Fountain.

The Blue’s first potential scoring drive died on fourth and long. On their next series, Pugh and Van Horn converted on a third and 20, but the White stopped their counterparts again, this time on fourth and seven inside the 10-yard line.

Van Horn then found Tyson Pugh for a nine-yard gain inside the 20 on the Blue’s next possession. Halfback Fred Jones took the ball on a counter but was met at the line by Chima McClain and Jay Money on fourth and one.

The Trojans travel to Brundidge on Aug. 23 to play Pike County in a fall jamboree prior to starting regular season play at Andalusia on Aug. 30.