Scott Nickerson
Elmore Autauga News
The Stanhope Elmore Mustangs kicked off the 2025 season on the road Friday night against the Marbury Bulldogs. The Bulldogs received the opening kickoff, and proceeded to march methodically down the field behind a rushing attack that resulted in a touchdown for Marbury’s Austin Fallon. The Bulldogs led 6-0 with just over six minutes remaining in the opening quarter. After that, the Mustangs’ defense buckled down, not allowing any more points. Dee Barnes added 4 rushing touchdowns for Stanhope Elmore as they coasted to a season opening win, 28-6.
“It always feels great to start the season off with a win,” said Hunter Adams, Stanhope Elmore Head Coach. “Instant gratification for the young men who have worked hard all summer.”
On the first possession of the game, Marbury faced a 4th and 5 from the SEHS 25 yard line. The Bulldogs completed a 20-yard pass and moments later punched in the touchdown from 5-yards out. The two point conversion attempt was no good, but the Bulldogs led 6-0.
It was the last time Marbury put points on the scoreboard. The Mustangs defense prevented any significant scoring opportunities until the final seconds in the last drive of the game, which ended inside the SEHS 10-yard line.
“No change schematically,” Coach Adams said when discussing if the Mustangs’ defense did anything different after Marbury’s first drive. “It took a series for our eye discipline and gap integrity to get to where it needed to be against the Wing T offense. That’s not something we commonly see and it’s hard to replicate at practice. It’s like playing one of the service academies, collegiately.”
The Mustangs first offensive drive ended in a turnover on downs near the Marbury 20-yard line, but on the Bulldogs very next offensive play they fumbled and it was recovered by the Stanhope Elmore defense. Barnes scored the first of his 4 touchdowns on a 17-yard rush on 4th and 5. John Espy converted the first of all four extra points he took, giving the Mustangs a 7-6 lead at the end of the 1st quarter.
Both teams traded punts on their next possessions, but Stanhope Elmore’s Grayson Jones pinned Marbury deep in their half of the field with a 46-yard punt. After the Mustangs got the ball back with good field position, Barnes broke off a 30-yard run and finished it off with a 2-yard touchdown plunge to move the Mustangs ahead 14-6, which was the score heading into halftime.
The Mustangs got the ball first in the 3rd quarter, and quarterback Davis Foshee made several completions to move the ball deep into Marbury territory. Barnes finished off the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run.
The final scoring of the night came in the 4th quarter when Barnes broke free for a 61-yard touchdown run.
For the game, Barnes rushed for 205 yards and 4 touchdowns.
SEHS quarterback Davis Foshee, the grandson of legendary SEHS Head Coach Jimmy Foshee, passed for 67 yards and rushed for 31 yards.
The Mustangs will stay in Autauga County for week 2, traveling to Prattville to take on the Lions in the newly renovated Stanley Jensen Stadium.
“Prattville is a big, athletic team, with playmakers at all levels,” said Coach Adams. “The energy at Stanley Jensen will be raucous per usual for this game. We have to have a great week of practice and be really dialed in and ready to play in a hostile environment come Friday.”
Photo Credit: Conner Williams – cwill_photography
