LaFAYETTE — A combination of excellent defense and poor offensive execution by both teams had the LaFayette Bulldogs and the Notasulga Blue Devils in a scoreless tie late in the third quarter Friday night. A muffed punt inside the 5-yard-line opened the door for the visitors to break the deadlock and go on to a 14-6 win in a sloppily played, penalty-marred game.

Notasulga recovered the bobbled kick on the LaFayette one-yard line. Junior running back Daryl Brown scored the first touchdown of the game on the next play. Justin Tirado Huerta’s extra point made it 7-0 in favor of the Blue Devils. The way things had gone in the game, it looked like all they would need to win.

The Bulldogs couldn’t move it on their next possession, and a short punt had Notasulga in great field position at the LaFayette 39 on their next possession, and they took it in from there with Terel Crayton scoring on an 11-yard run to culminate the short drive. Tirado Huerta’s PAT made it 14-0 with 8:50 left.

Drives of one and 39 yards had the Blue Devils holding a two touchdown lead. LaFayette would make things interesting in the late going but couldn’t manage to tie it. They drove 77 yards to cut it to 14-6 on an 11-yard TD pass from Jordan Walker to KeAndrae Peterson with 6:42 left. Walker’s bid for two more points came up short when he was tackled on the two-yard line on the conversion play.

The score changed the momentum to LaFayette’s favor. The aroused Bulldog defense held Notasulga to a punt on their next offensive series. With the crowd into it, LaFayette got the ball back on its 33 with 4:30 left in the game. 

Runs by Walker and a pass from Walker to Jacourias Webb mixed in with two pass interference penalties had the Bulldogs rolling deep in Notasulga territory with a chance to tie the game very late with a touchdown and two-point conversion.

A holding penalty proved to be a drive killer. LaFayette couldn’t overcome first and 20 on their 40. Four passes fell incomplete, and Notasulga took over at that point and ran out the clock.

The loss leaves the Bulldogs with a 2-3 record on the season and 2-1 in 2A Region 4. 

After two straight challenging games, the schedule lightens up in October. 

LaFayette finishes the year with four straight road games, at Fayetteville on Oct. 4, at Alabama Christian on Oct. 11, at Central Coosa on Oct. 18 and at Horseshoe Bend on Oct. 25. 

Only Alabama Christian is not a region game. The Bulldogs’ playoff hopes will be determined in games versus Fayetteville, Central Coosa and Horseshoe Bend.