By PATRICK MOSLEY
The Walton Braves raced to a 21-0 halftime lead, then fought to hold on in the second half as the local squad captured the 2015 Kickoff Classic with a 28-21 victory over visiting Panama City Mosley.
The Friday night contest saw kickoff delayed by 80 minutes as a lightning storm in the area forced administrators to evacuate the players and fans from the facility until the weather system moved away.
The game was worth the wait as Walton senior Cody Phillips took the opening kickoff 68 yards to the Mosley 31-yard line to give the Braves excellent field position to start the game. Senior running back Azende Rey then carried the pigskin for the next four plays, cashing in from four yards out to put the host squad on the scoreboard. Thomas Brack added the extra point and Walton held a 7-0 lead just 52 seconds into the contest.
The teams settled in to trade punts for several possessions before Walton struck again as senior wide receiver Alfonza Glenn snared a pass from quarterback Jace Fielder near the Walton sidelines and shook loose for a 68-yard touchdown play with just 54 seconds left in the first quarter for a 14-0 lead.
Mosley got their offense going on their ensuing possession as they moved deep into Walton territory only to have the drive end when Walton sophomore defensive back Juanyeh Thomas intercepted a Peyton Calhoun pass at the 1-yard line and returned the ball to the Braves’ 47.
Both teams’ defenses got stops on fourth downs to end drives with Walton tacking on another score with a 62-yard drive that was capped by a bullet pass over the middle to Rey, who streaked through the seam for the final touchdown of the first half with 1:20 left.
Mosley used the halftime break to regroup and hit the Braves with a big play immediately as running back Jimmy Daniel popped through a hole up the middle and outran Walton’s defenders on an 80-yard touchdown run to trim the deficit to 21-7 after kicker Kyle Hudson’s extra point.
Walton went nowhere on their first possession of the second half and the ensuing punt set the Dolphins up at the Braves’ 45-yard line. Mosley pounded away with their running attack and drove the distance for another touchdown as Destin Coates swept in from nine yards out to trim the lead to 21-14.
Walton went to the passing game on their next possession with Fielder moving the chains via his arm as the Braves picked up five consecutive first down via the air with Phillips, Thomas, Danny Hicks and Dillon Kelly providing receptions before Glenn finished the drive with an 11-yard grab to push the lead to 28-14.
Mosley made the next big play as the Dolphins blocked a Fielder punt with 8:46 remaining in the game and recovered at the Braves’ 12-yard line with Calhoun hitting Alonzo Johnson with a 7-yard scoring toss with 7:22 left in the game to get within 28-21.
Walton’s next drive saw the Braves manage the clock with the running game for the most part as the Braves moved across midfield before turning the ball over on downs with 4:36 to go in the contest.
Mosley moved into Walton territory on their next drive but a penalty forced the Dolphins into a 4th-and-7 situation that they were unable to convert, giving the ball back to the Walton offense with 2:48 left in the game.
Walton was able to run the clock out with the help of a Fielder scamper for a first down on a fourth-and-long in the final 30 seconds of the game. Fielder finished with 239 passing yards and three touchdown tosses with Glenn hauling in six passes for 153 yards and two scores. Walton had 126 rushing yards with Rey going for 45 yards on the night.
The Braves defense held Mosley to 13 passing yards while the Dolphins ran for 266 yards with Daniel leading the way with 186 yards on 20 carries.
Walton will open the 2015 regular season on Friday night with a home game against Blountstown with kickoff set for 7 p.m. at Everette Yates Memorial Stadium.
Game Notes: Rey had just one carry in the second half with Phillips doing most of the running after halftime. Fielder got banged up on the next-to-last play of the game as he had ice on his wrist afterwards, but he should be good to go this week against Blountstown. The Braves had seven penalties for 60 yards. Walton dressed 34 players for the game with Mosley bringing 53. Kickoffs were only used to start each half. Despite the 80 minute delay, a majority of the pre-game crowd returned to watch the game after several bouts of rain. Walton defeated Mosley in the exhibition after losing games to the Dolphins to end both the 2013 and 2014 regular seasons.
