Despite a season-opening loss, Zion Chapel head coach Bubba Nall sees positive for his Rebels.

“In a situation like tonight you have to find the positives and find something to build on,” Nall said of the 49-7 loss to Houston County.

One of those positives was the defense’s ability to contain Trevell Smit “Our defense did a good job at keeping 17 out of the endzone,” Nall said. “He scored four touchdowns and had 238 yards last week. This week, he did not score a touchdown and I want to say we held him to around 100 yards.”

The Rebels’ only score of the night came on a 25-yard pass from quarterback Aaron Senn to Ashton Paquin in the fourth quarter.

Nall said Friday’s game offered teachable moments.

“We learned that we need to keep our nose to the grindstone, and we have to work to get better,” Nall said. “Our defense is playing hard. Our offense has to find a way to move the football, and that is my job as a head coach to do that.”

He also said improvement is a process.

“When we are building a program from the ground up, we have to figure out how to get off the ground,” Nall said. “That is where we are right now… we are going to be a good football team sooner or later. I would like to say sooner, but sometimes later is around the corner. When Coach Saban says it’s a process, he is not lying.

“It’s a process.”

Even with the rebuilding challenges, Nall said the community is rallying around the team. Crowds filled the bleachers on Friday.

“It was great,” Nall said. “We had a great crowd, our field was beautiful. It was a great atmosphere for high school football. We had a great pep rally today at school.”

The Rebels host Central Hayneville at 7 p.m. next Friday.