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Head coach RJ McDonald said Lanett had tried to fight above their weight class over the summer, playing big teams. This preparation paid off against Bullock County, a 4A school. Lanett bested Bullock County in its season opener playing all four quarters for a 14-13 win. 

The Hornets struck first, but the Panthers answered with four minutes left in the first. The second quarter was a defensive stalemate, with LHS stopping Bullock County on the 3rd-yard line to end the half.

The meat of the game came in the fourth quarter, however. The Panthers couldn’t have drawn the early drive up any better. It started with a long run by Fred Broughton, who may have made a case for the starting spot with his performance on Friday night.  

The play of the game goes to running back Rankenzia Tucker, who followed Broughton with a 40-yard carry to get the ball to the four. A couple of penalties on Bullock County, something that plagued the Hornets all night, made the game a matter of inches. Eddie Mitchell punched it in to make it 14-7. 

The game seemed over with less than eight minutes left. The Hornets had gone from the Lanett’s five to their own 26-yard line in one play. Bullock County’s quarterback ran 40 yards only for holding and personal foul calls to bring the ball back across the field. The ball was intercepted by Lanett’s Alajawon Whitfield.

Unfortunately for the Panthers, on the next play, Bullock County had a pick of their own running it back for a TD with six minutes to go. In a risky move, the away team decided to go for two.

The Hornet’s quarterback fumbled the snap keeping the score at 14-13. Lanett had to run out the clock for the remaining couple of minutes. 

Perhaps the energy high of the night is when Christopher King came up with a big hit and fumble recovery to give the Panthers possession and see the game out. 

Lanett will be away next week to play area rival Beulah on Aug. 30.