Arab shuts out 7A Albertville 35-0 in season opener

Arab, AL – The Arab Arabian Knights kicked off their 100th season in style shutting out Marshall County rival Albertville 35-0 Friday night at SportsPlex Stadium. 

The Knights were lead by quarterback Ed Johnson who ran for a game high 129 yards on 16 carries, pacing the Arab offense who gashed the Aggies for 293 yards on the ground. The senior signal caller completed 7-of-9 passes for 83 yards to add to his four rushing touchdown performance.  

Following an opening game stop by the Arab defense. Johnson lead the Knight offense on a 13 play, 75 yard drive, which included a 39 yard pass to his brother Wesson, capped by a dive into the endzone from just inside the Albertville five yard line. 

After another stop by the Arabian Knight defense, Johnson added his second score of the first quarter, gashing the Aggie secondary for a 72 yard scoring dash to put the Knights on top 14-0 with 11:39 remaining in the 2nd quarter.  

A minute and a half later Johnson was back in the endzone, scoring from five yards out and putting the home team up by thee scores with just over 10 minutes remaining before the break.  He crossed the goal line again, this time from the Aggie four yard line to give the Knights a 28-0 advantage at the half.  

The Knights held the ball for the all but 2:41 seconds of the third quarter, when running back Hayden O’Reilly bolted into the endzone from outside the Albertville 10 yard line to put a bow on the Knight’s season opening victory 35-0.  

O’Reilly finished the contest with 86 yards and a score while Wesson Johnson paced the Arabian Knight receiving corps with five receptions for 66 yards.  

Albertville quarterback Andy Howard finished the game with 88 yards through the air, completing 8-of-17 passes.  Elijah Moss hauled in three catches for 36 yards and Braxton Bowers rushed for 27 yards on five carries.  

The victory was the Knight’s second in a row over the class 7A Aggies, Arab took down Albertville 13-6 in 2020.  

The Knights continue their trek toward a county championship next Friday night on the road at arch rival Guntersville (0-1).  Albertville has the week off before before hosting region foe Sparkman September 3rd at McCord Field.