UMS-Wright battled back from a halftime deficit to beat rival St. Paul’s 24-13 last week in another tightly contested chapter of the “Battle of Old Shell Road,” and the Bulldogs’ comeback effort earned them Team of the Week recognition from the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office.
The two Mobile private schools have met on the football field for decades, and Friday night’s game lived up to the rivalry’s reputation for close finishes. St. Paul’s built a 10-0 lead at halftime and still led 13-10 midway through the fourth quarter before UMS-Wright’s defense and running game took over down the stretch.
The victory pushed UMS-Wright’s record to three straight wins after an opening-week loss to start the season, and it gave the Bulldogs a 22-21 edge in the all-time series against St. Paul’s, one of the oldest and most closely matched rivalries in Mobile-area high school football.
UMS-Wright head coach Terry Curtis credited his defense for keeping the Bulldogs within striking distance even as the offense struggled with turnovers in the first half.
“One thing that did happen in the first half is our defense kept playing like crazy,” Curtis said. “Even with the three turnovers in the first half they (St. Paul’s) only had 10 points. So you felt like if you got things righted and so forth that you were still in the game.”
UMS-Wright sealed the win with 1:24 remaining when running back Cole Blaylock scored on a 9-yard touchdown run, capping a drive that started after a St. Paul’s interception was returned 57 yards to the St. Paul’s 18-yard line. Two plays later, Blaylock punched in his second rushing touchdown of the night. His first touchdown had come just minutes earlier on a 2-yard run. Blaylock finished the game with 110 yards on 29 carries, providing the bulk of UMS-Wright’s offensive production in the second half.
The Mobile County Sheriff’s Office sponsors the weekly Team of the Week award to recognize standout performances among area high school football programs. On Tuesday afternoon, MCSO Deputy Vince Gazzier visited the UMS-Wright campus to present the Team of the Week banner to Curtis and members of the Bulldogs’ team and coaching staff, honoring the program for its comeback win over St. Paul’s.
UMS-Wright will look to carry the momentum from the rivalry win into the remainder of its schedule as the Bulldogs continue their season with three consecutive victories following the early-season setback.