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The Demopolis Tigers made big plays early to take a big lead over the Marbury Bulldogs and moving to 2-0 in region play with a 44-7 win Friday.

The Tigers took the lead on the first possession of the game after a good kickoff return by A.J. Besteder all the way to the Marbury 18. After seeing a good touchdown run negated by a holding penalty, Brandon Franklin would get another chance from the 4, giving the Tigers a 6-0 lead. A two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful.

DHS extended the lead when Peyton Stevenson found Keyjun Gracie for a 65-yard touchdown pass. Malaki Simpson’s point-after made the score 13-0 with 4:14 to go in the first quarter.

The Demopolis continued to hold Marbury, and on their next punt, Besteder picked up the ball, got a block, and trucked 64 yards for a touchdown. Simpson’s PAT made the score 20-0.

The score would hold until 6:25 to go in the second as Stevenson again found Gracie on a 25-yard touchdown connection. Simpson’s PAT made the score 27-0.

Marbury would have its biggest play of the game on their next possesion, which turned into a 65-yard touchdown.

Gracie continued to have a big impact for the Tigers, catching two passes from Stevenson on the next drive, one for 41 yards and another for 22. Besteder would cap off the drive with a three-yard touchdown run. Simpson’s PAT made the score 34-7.

But the Tigers weren’t done in the first half. The defense once again forced a Marbury punt and it was blocked by Mac Logan, picked up by Laquinton Wright who took it the remaining yardage into the endzone, making the score 41-7 at the half.

While Stevenson and Gracie connected on several more passes and Logan came up with an interception to go with his blocked punt, the only score in the second half came late when Simpson nailed a 32-yard field goal with 2:55 to go.

The victory lifts the Tigers to 3-1 overall. They will host Benjamin Russell on Friday, Sept. 21.

(This article originally appeared in the Saturday, September 15 issue of the Demopolis Times.)