Jarette Davis hauls in a TD pass from Phillip Ervin. The Leroy High School Bears pulled out a close game Friday night at Palmer Stadium 28-21 over the Washington County High School Bulldogs after giving up 239 yards rushing on 26 carries and two touchdowns to Devonta Parker.

On the kickoff the Bulldogs fumbled the football and recovered it, but fumbled again four plays later; this time loosing the ball to Leroy. The Bears fumbled the football right back to the Bulldogs after completing a pass on first down.

WCHS got their first points of the game on a 2-yard touchdown run by Parker with 7:59 to play in the first quarter. Logan Gunn kicked the extra point and the Bulldogs led 7-0.

On the Bears' second possession of the game, backup quarterback Justin Besteda threw an interception on first down and the Bulldogs were in business again at the Leroy 38-yard line.

After four downs the Bulldogs punted the football back to Leroy. The Bears went threeand out and had to punt, pinning the Bulldogs inside the 20-yard line.

The Bulldogs ran one play and fumbled the football right back to Leroy on the Bears' 20- yard line.

The Bears could not score and punted the football back to WCHS and the first quarter ran out with the Bulldogs leading 7- 0.

To start the second quarter, WCHS had to punt the ball away and the Bears fumbled the return and the Bulldogs had the football at the Leroy 20-yard line.

Five plays later, Parker scored his second touchdown run of the game and with the PAT splitting the uprights, the Bulldogs led 14-0 with 10:40 to go until halftime.

The Bears finally had a drive that yielded points. On a first and 10 at the Bulldogs' 40-yard line Ervin hit Jarrette Davis in stride for a 40-yard pass play and a touchdown with 9:06 until halftime. Ervin kicked the point after and cut the WCHS lead to 14-7.

The Bulldogs wasted no time in getting the points back. WCHS had a long drive on their next possession that ended with a 2-yard touchdown run by Shondarius Hicks with 4:00 until the half. Gunn kicked the extra point and the Bulldogs' lead was 21-7.

Leroy answered six plays later with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Ervin to Davis with 2:47 to play before halftime. Ervin kicked the PAT and the score was 21-14.

WCHS missed a short field goal from inside the 15-yard line as time ran out in the half.

The Bears' first drive of the second half yielded six points on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Ervin to Sammie Coates with 9:32 to play in the third quarter. The extra point was no good and Leroy trailed 21-20.

WCHS had four more drives in the game, two of which went over on downs to Leroy. Both teams started to play good defense in the third and fourth quarters.

Leroy scored a touchdown on their last drive of the game on a 15-yard touchdown run by Coates with 3:46 to play in the game. The Bears went for two points and got it on a pass play from Ervin to Justin Besteda. That gave the Bears the lead for the first time in the game 28- 21.

Davis intercepted a Bulldogs' pass to end the game on WCHS' last drive of the game.

The Bears improved to 3-0 and the Bulldogs dropped to 1-2 on the young season.

"We played well, but we did not make the plays when we needed to and they did," said Bulldogs Coach Joe Nettles. "They are a good football team and they make plays when they need to and that is the reason they are three time champs."

"Both teams have a lot to be proud of tonight. Coach Joe Nettles and his staff have done a great job," said Bears' Coach Danny Powell. "Just exciting football, a lot of big plays and I am excited to come out a winner. Both teams put out a good effort, the flu is all around, but the kids played hard."

Ervin threw for 261 yards and four TDs on 18-22 passing. Coates had 65 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions; Davis had 108 yards and two touchdowns on five catches; Ross Reed had two receptions for 52 yards and Besteda had six grabs for 30.

Leroy plays at 7 p.m. next Friday at Flomaton and WCHS plays at 7 p.m. and the next night at Mobile Christian.