BELLEVILLE - For a half the Wildcats were able to play with the much larger Crimson Tide.
But it took Edgerton just two plays at the beginning of the third quarter to erase Belleville-Albany's 24-21 lead and easily go on to win the game, 48-24.
As the second half got underway, and with a second down and 1 on the their own 42-yard line, Edgerton senior Bryan Gregory connected with junior Adam Gregory on a 58-yard pass to complete a 68-yard-drive that took just two plays and 35 seconds to execute.
From there the Crimson Tide moved the ball at will and shut down the Wildcats' offense, which up to that point had looked efficient.
Belleville-Albany's Nick Davis had a half to remember as the Wildcats showed grit and determination against the solid Crimson Tide defense. Davis finished the half with 108 yards on 10 carries and also returned a kickoff 75 yards to the end zone after Edgerton took a 7-6 lead midway through the first quarter.
Both teams came out rushing the ball, trying to establish power on the line.
The Wildcats relied on Davis to move the ball and on their first play of the 2008 season he took the ball 41 yards from the Belleville-Albany 24 to Edgerton 33.
It was a sign of things to come for Belleville-Albany as the Wildcats finished their 76-yard drive with an end around run by senior receiver Jeremy McDermott.
Trailing 6-0 the Crimson Tide brought out their big gun, Kyle Johnson, to answer the Belleville-Albany rushing attack. Johnson, who had 121 yards on the ground in the first half, carried Edgerton down the field before the Tide completed its own 74-yard drive with a 36-yard touchdown pass.
Davis' kick off return put Belleville-Albany back in front and a strong defensive effort and a sack on fourth down of Edgerton quarterback Bryan Gregory gave the Wildcats good field position on their own 44-yard line late in the first quarter.
It took the Wildcats 1:16 to march down the field to take a 21-7 lead, thanks to Davis' legs and an acrobatic catch by McDermott to set up Davis' 13-yard run for his second rushing touchdown of the night.
A fumble near the end of the first quarter gave Belleville-Albany another chance to score on a short field but Edgerton's defense stiffened and the Wildcats could only come away with a field goal early in the second quarter.
From then on it was all Edgerton. The Tide moved the ball and commanded the field as they ran and passed almost at will. Gregory proved too much for the Belleville-Albany defense to contain.
Johnson continued to push the defensive line back almost every time he touched the ball.
The Wildcats had a chance to get back into the game late in the third quarter but let a golden opportunity slip through their hands.
Trailing 27-24 with just over two minutes to play in the third quarter, the Wildcats stopped an Edgerton drive on the Belleville-Albany 16-yard line. Four plays later, Edgerton picked up a backwards lateral for a score to put the Crimson Tide up by 10.
Edgerton scored twice in the fourth quarter to put the game away.
Belleville-Albany travels to Orfordville Friday to take on the Parkview.
But it took Edgerton just two plays at the beginning of the third quarter to erase Belleville-Albany's 24-21 lead and easily go on to win the game, 48-24.
As the second half got underway, and with a second down and 1 on the their own 42-yard line, Edgerton senior Bryan Gregory connected with junior Adam Gregory on a 58-yard pass to complete a 68-yard-drive that took just two plays and 35 seconds to execute.
From there the Crimson Tide moved the ball at will and shut down the Wildcats' offense, which up to that point had looked efficient.
Belleville-Albany's Nick Davis had a half to remember as the Wildcats showed grit and determination against the solid Crimson Tide defense. Davis finished the half with 108 yards on 10 carries and also returned a kickoff 75 yards to the end zone after Edgerton took a 7-6 lead midway through the first quarter.
Both teams came out rushing the ball, trying to establish power on the line.
The Wildcats relied on Davis to move the ball and on their first play of the 2008 season he took the ball 41 yards from the Belleville-Albany 24 to Edgerton 33.
It was a sign of things to come for Belleville-Albany as the Wildcats finished their 76-yard drive with an end around run by senior receiver Jeremy McDermott.
Trailing 6-0 the Crimson Tide brought out their big gun, Kyle Johnson, to answer the Belleville-Albany rushing attack. Johnson, who had 121 yards on the ground in the first half, carried Edgerton down the field before the Tide completed its own 74-yard drive with a 36-yard touchdown pass.
Davis' kick off return put Belleville-Albany back in front and a strong defensive effort and a sack on fourth down of Edgerton quarterback Bryan Gregory gave the Wildcats good field position on their own 44-yard line late in the first quarter.
It took the Wildcats 1:16 to march down the field to take a 21-7 lead, thanks to Davis' legs and an acrobatic catch by McDermott to set up Davis' 13-yard run for his second rushing touchdown of the night.
A fumble near the end of the first quarter gave Belleville-Albany another chance to score on a short field but Edgerton's defense stiffened and the Wildcats could only come away with a field goal early in the second quarter.
From then on it was all Edgerton. The Tide moved the ball and commanded the field as they ran and passed almost at will. Gregory proved too much for the Belleville-Albany defense to contain.
Johnson continued to push the defensive line back almost every time he touched the ball.
The Wildcats had a chance to get back into the game late in the third quarter but let a golden opportunity slip through their hands.
Trailing 27-24 with just over two minutes to play in the third quarter, the Wildcats stopped an Edgerton drive on the Belleville-Albany 16-yard line. Four plays later, Edgerton picked up a backwards lateral for a score to put the Crimson Tide up by 10.
Edgerton scored twice in the fourth quarter to put the game away.
Belleville-Albany travels to Orfordville Friday to take on the Parkview.
