Landin Williams rushed for over 100 yards for third week in a row and over 150 yards for second straight week, but it was not enough to make up the Bulldogs 21-0 first half deficit in their loss to Space Coast in Cocoa Friday night.
“We made too many mistakes in the first half,” Bell head coach Joey Whittington said after game. “Too many penalties; too many turnovers; a couple blown assignments.”
Space Coast opened the game on offense and drove inside Bell’s five-yard line. It appeared the Vipers scored on a three-yard touchdown pass, but it was called back because of an ineligible receiver downfield.
The Bulldogs’ defense took advantage of the penalty and held for a turnover on downs.
However, pinned deep in their own territory, the Bulldogs went three and out and punted on the ensuing possession.
With the short field, the Vipers struck quickly and scored on a 27-yard jet sweep for a touchdown to take an early 7-0 lead.
Space Coast then attempted and recovered an onside kick. Two plays later, the Vipers scored again and doubled the lead to 14-0.
Bell started to move the ball on its next possession, but the drive ended with an interception.
Space Coast failed to take advantage of the turnover. On the first play, the snap went over the quarterback’s head for seven-yard loss. The Vipers compounded that error with a delay of game penalty that pushed them back to second and 22.
The Vipers failed to pick up the necessary yardage after falling behind the chains and punted the ball away.
Bell looked like it had found something on offense as they moved the ball into Space Coast territory for the first time, but a second interception in as many drives ended Bell’s chance of scoring. To make matters worse, Space Coast returned the interception for a touchdown to extend the Vipers’ lead to 21-0.
Space Coast kicked off to start the second half.
Again, the Vipers would attempt an onside kick, but this time the Bulldogs recovered, giving them great field position as they tried to mount a comeback.
Bell immediately got into Space Coast territory as Landin Williams picked up 26 yards on the first play of the possession.
The Bulldogs drove all the way to the Space Coast one-yard line, but the Vipers held twice on their own one and forced a turnover on downs.
On the ensuing possession, Space Coast again took the ball inside the Bulldogs’ 10-yard line, and — again — failed to score in Bell’s red zone as they turned the ball over on downs.
The Bulldogs took advantage of the stop, getting on the scoreboard with a 43-yard touchdown run by Landin Williams to cut the lead to 21-7 late in the third quarter.
Bell attempted an onside kick, but it was recovered by Space Coast.
The Vipers looked like they had put the game away early in the fourth quarter with a 52-yard touchdown run, but it was called back for holding.
The Vipers were able to move the ball and get to the middle of Bell territory. On a third-down play, the Bulldogs sacked Christian Burt, the Space Coast quarterback, to force a fourth and long.
The Bulldogs would again be able to pressure Burt on fourth down. But as Burt broke the pocket, Bell’s coverage broke down and left a man wide open behind the secondary.
Luckily for Bell, the receiver backpedaled instead of continuing his route and the ball sailed over his head, resulting in a turnover on downs.
Again, Bell’s offense took advantage of the stop.
Bell’s offensive line had worn out the defensive front of the Vipers and the Bulldogs were running at will in the second half.
Williams running would get the Bulldogs into the Space Coast red zone, setting up a 15-yard touchdown pass from Hunter Hilliard to Jayden Lopez to cut the deficit to 21-14.
On the ensuing possession, Bell had Space Coast in a third and five with around six minutes left in the game. The Vipers were able to use a hard count to get Bell to jump offside and pick up a first down.
Bell’s defense would eventually force a punt, but the first down allowed Space Coast to run more time off the clock and put Bell in poor field position for their final possession.
Bell’s last chance to tie the game or take lead started at its own 15-yard line with 3:30 left in the game.
Bell picked up a first down with rushes by Landin Williams, but that would not move the ball quickly enough to give Bell a chance to score. On first down, Bell attempted a pass that was almost intercepted. A second down run only gained two yards. Then the third-down pass was intercepted, ending the possible comeback.
Bell ends the season at 2-8.