By MELISSA REYNOLDS | For the Reporter

NEW SITE – The Horseshoe Bend Generals were coming off a bye week and got in some extra practice in for Friday night’s Class 2A, Region 4 matchup against the Vincent Yellow Jackets, but the problem for the Generals was the recent hot play by Vincent.

When the two squared off on Friday, Oct. 12, the Yellow Jackets were able to pick up their third consecutive win by a final score of 27-8.

During its three-game winning streak, Vincent has allowed a combined 22 points and has given up eight combined in the last two weeks. The Yellow Jackets have beaten their last three opponents by a combined 113-22.

“It was a rough game, but we made it through it,” Vincent head coach Lucas Weatherford said after the win. “I am proud of all our football players.”

In the first quarter, Horseshoe Bend’s defense came out with a punch against the Yellow Jackets, completely stunning them on their first drive.  Horseshoe Bend’s Stephon Buchanan gave it his all with a 30-yard run putting the Generals in scoring position on their first drive only to be stopped by the Yellow Jackets.

With each team’s defensive players stepping up the entire quarter neither Horseshoe Bend nor Vincent scored.

The second quarter, both teams were plagued by penalties. Horseshoe Bend quarterback Cole Johnson moved his team down to the field to the Vincent 16-yard line, only to lose his offensive momentum as the Yellow Jackets picked off a pass.

From there, Vincent (3-4, 2-2) dominated the quarter scoring six points with a failed 2-point conversion and stung the Generals again by advancing down the field for another touchdown bringing the score at the half to 13-0.

During halftime, Horseshoe Bend head coach Josh Averett admitted they were having a tough time stopping running back Chris Hardie, while Weatherford thought the offense was struggling to solve the Generals’ defense the way they needed to.

The third quarter began with a Horseshoe Bend fumbling to give Vincent the ball.

Vincent then immediately fumbled the ball right back to Horseshoe Bend. The Generals gained a spark from Adrian Buchanan and Trent Cotney, but they lost their zest with another fumble.

Vincent then went to work against the Generals to finish off the third quarter with one more touchdown to take a 20-0 lead into the fourth.

Horseshoe Bend gave the crowd a bit of hope in the fourth quarter when Johnson completed a 22-yard pass to Buchanan for a touchdown, giving the Generals six points on the scoreboard.

But in the end with bad snaps, incomplete passes and tired players, there was not enough fuel left in the Generals to pull off the comeback.

Vincent was led by its rushing game as the Yellow Jackets tallied 347 yards on the ground, including 133 from Hardie and 185 from Robbie Albright.

Hardie added three touchdown runs, while Albright posted one.

Vincent will now host 7-1 and region-leading Reeltown on Friday, Oct. 19, as the Yellow Jackets are trying to earn a playoff spot over the next couple of weeks.