Niceville edges Crestview in spring game (with PHOTOS)

By RANDY DICKSON

Florida Freedom Newspapers

CRESTVIEW - A sloppy field couldn't slow down Niceville's high-powered offense as the Eagles beat Crestview 21-14 in spring game football action at Jack Foster Stadium on Friday.

Kody Williams had three catches for 120 yards and Roy Finch ran for 90 yards on seven carries to spark the Eagles' offense.

PHOTOS: Click here to view more photos.

"I was pleased, both quarterbacks (Kyle McDorman and C.J. Scroggins) made good throws in tough conditions," Eagles coach John Hicks said. "To be able to run our offense in those kind of conditions, I was really pleased.

"Considering everything with all the new guys, I thought we played well and executed well."

The Bulldog JV and backups had Crestview in front 14-7 at the half. It looked as if the Bulldogs would extend the lead early in the third quarter as Jerry Siler sparked a 10-play, 64-yard drive that started on the Crestview 14.

The Eagles were ready to soar when the Crestview drive stalled at the Niceville 22. McDorman hit Williams with a 77-yard touchdown pass on a second-and-9 as Niceville tied the game at 14-14.

Niceville threatened again early in the fourth quarter after Finch broke loose for a 65-yard run to put the ball on the Bulldog 26. But a big hit on Williams forced a fumble that was recovered by Crestview's Ben Baber.

Scroggins hit Williams with a 43-yard pass to the Bulldog 6 with less than three minutes left in the fourth. Finch scored from 6 yards out on the next play.

The Bulldogs weren't without their own success on offense. Blake Ritchie was 3-of-7 passing for 31 yards, Siler rushed for 61 yards and Chris Pickett added another 26 yards on the ground.

Crestview's JV scored on a 6-yard run from Andrew Thomas. The Bulldog backups got in on the act when Garrett Teal hit Taylor Paul with a 12-yard touchdown pass.

Marquis Pratt scored on a 10-yard run for the Eagle backups.

All things considered, Ritchie wasn't too upset with the way the Crestview offense played.

"I'm pretty happy with the way things turned out," he said. "We had a lot of guys out on our offensive line tonight, but they still stepped it up and did a good job.

"Jerry and Chris ran the ball hard. We did as much as we could. You just can't do much with these conditions out here."