DAPHNE, Alabama - Bayside Academy got off to a good start in the season opener on Friday night but costly turnovers by both teams kept the game close and the Charles Henderson Trojans punched the ball into the end zone putting a dagger in the Admirals to win 29-22.

The Class 3A Admirals, who were undersized and outmanned by the visiting 4A Trojans, put up a valiant effort from the opening kickoff.

“To go through a hurricane week and to be out of school for three days for them to come in and focus and execute the way they did should be a message to our kids," said Trojan Head coach Mike Dean. “We have a lot to learn from them.”

The Admirals came out of the gates quickly and surprised everybody when they recovered an onside kick on the opening kick-off. The boys in blue took advantage quickly and turned the onside kick recovery into a touchdown when senior Jonathan Walton punched the ball over the goal line from the two. An Admiral two point conversion gave them the early 8-0 lead.

The Trojans scored after six plays thanks to a 45-yard touchdown run by senior running back Courtney Downing. They would also convert the two-point conversion tying the game at 8.

They would score again on their very next drive to quickly turn the tide and took a 15-8 lead into the second quarter.

Both teams would enter the locker room tied at 15 thanks to a late touchdown by senior Bayside running back Joe Stassen.

The second half started much like the beginning of the game as each team would come out and score on their first possessions leading to a 22-22 tie.

The game would come down to the final three possessions of the contest when a driving admiral offense was halted when junior quarterback Hunter Slater fumbled the ball inside Trojan territory giving them the ball with just 4 minutes remaining.

A seven play drive that ended with the Trojans getting a 35-yard touchdown reception by junior wide-out Kenyatte Jones with under a minute remaining to seal the victory.

“I’m very proud of them, we played a little short-handed," Bayside head coach Phil Lazenby said. “We had a couple of people out; we had to find some guys to play. They all played pretty good I was proud.”

Slater lead the way for the Admirals offensively with 74 rushing yards on 18 carries. Slater also had one reception for 7 yards and a rushing touchdown.

On the defensive side of the ball it was the Hunter Slater show as the junior was involved in three turnovers. He recovered two fumbles and also added an interception.

The Admiral passing attack was nonexistent for the game as Slater only through the ball 10 times and only completing two of them for just over 20 yards. He also through an interception.

The Trojans were led offensively by quarterback Austin Ingram who completed 16 of his 21 attempts for over 160 yards. Jones led the team in receiving yards with 61. Downing tacked on over 100 yards of rushing giving the Trojans nearly 300 yards of total offense.

The Admirals will be back in action next Friday when they travel to play Excel High School. The Trojans will be on the road against Beauregard High School.