FOLEY – Chalk up another undefeated season to the history books: the Foley Lions manhandled the UMS-Wright Bulldogs 49-14 at Ivan Jones Stadium, earning their 10th consecutive and final regular season victory, and becoming the sixth team in school history to have a perfect record.  

1930, 1961, 1962, 1977, 1995 and now etch 2007 in the books as the Lions wrapped up their dominating regular season Thursday night against the Bulldogs (4-6) and will host Sidney Lanier, of Montgomery, in the first round of the 6A playoffs next week.  

“Once you get into the playoffs it’s a do or die situation.  You can never tell…how the ball will bounce” said Foley Head Coach Todd Watson in a phone interview on Friday.  “We’re excited about it, and we’ve had a great run.”

Watson said that senior leadership and a great team work ethnic contributed to their stellar season, which included three shutouts and a stunning win over the Daphne Trojans, 16-14, on national television broadcasted by ESPN2.

Only Murphy was able to score more than 14 points against the relentless Lions’ defense, which held the opposition to an average of less than 8 points a game.  

Watson said that the defense is young with juniors making up the front-four line and two junior linebackers, but he said “they’ve played really hard” all year, and the senior leadership kicked it up into a higher gear.  

On Thursday night, Foley jumped ahead quick by scoring on all six possessions in the first half, earning a daunting 42 points by halftime.  

Devin Smith, who completed 10-of-16 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns, hit Julio Jones on a 12-yard pass and Zach McDuffie on a 16-yard strike on their first possession, taking the Lions into Bulldogs’ territory.  

LaVance Mitchell sprinted 15-yards and Devin Smith snuck through for 11-yards, giving the Lions their first chance at the endzone.  On 3rd and 10 from the Bulldogs 17, Smith tossed one up for Jones in the endzone, who brought it down for an easy score, taking the Lions up 7-0 with 7:00 remaining in the first quarter.

Mitchell rushed four times for 49 yards and two touchdowns for the game with the first TD coming less than two minutes after Foley’s first score on their second possession.  

Jones proved his talent once again as the nation’s No.1 high school recruit, bringing down 5 receptions for a stunning 170 yards and two touchdowns, including a 68-yard bomb from Smith, Foley’s fourth unanswered touchdown, which was followed up on the next possession with a 53-yard strike.  

The game featured Foley’s Senior Night where players have the opportunity to announce their college plans.  Robert Lester was announced as committed to the University of Alabama.  Jones was not announced as committed to any universities.  

By halftime, Foley racked up 42 unanswered points, and by the end of the game, they had 469 yards of total offense – 297 yards passing and 172 rushing on 28 carries.  

The Bulldogs, by comparison, had 220 yards of total offense, 81 yards in the air and 139 yards on the ground on 36 carries.