By JOSEPH ANTONIO / For the Reporter

Alabaster – Friday night marked the inaugural game for new Kingwood Christian head football coach Sheldon Ward. After a physical start for both teams, Lee-Scott drew first blood with 13 seconds remaining in the first quarter when Mitchell Lewis broke free for a long touchdown run to give the Warriors a 7-0 lead.

Early in the second quarter it appeared Kingwood had seized the momentum away from Lee Scott when Kerry Thompson intercepted a pass. Then, just 20 seconds later, a lightning delay would stall the Lion’s drive as both teams would have to wait over an hour before returning to play.

When play resumed, Kingwood finished the drive with a quick score, but failed to convert their two-point conversion. Lee Scott immediately returned the favor on the first play of their next possession and again on another Mitchell Lewis touchdown later in the second to bring the tally to 21-6.

Kingwood would move the ball down the field before the half only to fail on their fourth down attempt as the pass to the back of the end zone fell incomplete as time expired. When play resumed in the second half, it would be more of the same.

Mitchell Lewis struck again for Lee-Scott, as he would score another touchdown with 7:16 remaining in the third quarter. However, Kingwood would rally back after an interception by Hunter Lodge which would indirectly lead to a scoring strike from Chase Inabiett to Thompson. The score stood at 28-13 with less than two minutes remaining in the third.

Lee Scott would lay the final blow with eight and a half minutes left in the game to defeat Kingwood, 35-13. Coach Ward of the Lions was both accepting and optimistic after the loss. “We just got to come together as a team. I think we will get it,” he says.

Ward also conceded that it was the fundamentals that hurt Kingwood the most. “We have got to get better at tackling,” he stated. Kingwood will visit rival Bessemer Academy on Thursday night.