Amid homecoming distractions and sluggish play, the Escambia County Blue Devils managed a 27-6 win over Saraland Friday night securing a berth in the Class 4A, Region 1 playoffs.

First-year ECHS Head Coach Mark Heaton had mixed emotions following his team’s much-needed win.

“This win gets us in the playoffs and that was our No. 1 goal to get ourselves in the position to get in the playoffs and this gets us in and I’m very proud of that,” he said.

However, Heaton felt his players could have executed better in preparation for next week’s contest against top-ranked Jackson at Herbert Barnes Stadium.

“Saraland has a very young team,” Heaton said. “They don’t have any seniors; they are struggling. We had them outmanned and we knew that coming in. We were hoping that we could execute very well on both sides of the football tonight and have a solid performance, but I didn’t feel like we did.”

The Blue Devils (5-2, 3-2) got on the scoreboard first halfway through the first quarter when senior running back Chris Smith snagged senior quarterback Rico Stallworth’s four-yard pass for the touchdown. Junior Tyler Nero added the point after putting the home team on top 7-0.

The visiting Spartans quieted the crowd early in the second quarter when they scored on a 15-yard pitch and catch from quarterback William Robison to Allante Jowers. The point after failed, but Saraland was hanging around.

Following a failed series by the Blue Devils, the home defense held its ground and held Saraland to three-and-out later in the quarter. Senior Marshall Rolin brought the home crowd to its feet when he took the ensuing fielded the ensuing punt on one bounce and raced down the home sideline 50 yards for the touchdown. Nero’s point after kick was good padding Escambia County’s lead 14-6.

On their next series, the Blue Devils advanced the ball 50 yards in three plays scoring on a 28-yard touchdown pass from Stallworth to senior running back Neiko Williams. Nero’s kick was true giving ECHS a 21-6 lead at the half.

Numerous penalties and mental errors plagued the Blue Devils’ offense in the second half allowing them to muster up only one more score. The touchdown came late in the third quarter on a four-yard run by Smith.

Escambia County’s defense was able to keep Saraland scoreless the remainder of the game despite some big plays leading to victory.

The win secures at the least the No. 4 seed in the region. Heaton said there is many variables that could help the Blue Devils climb to the third position including upsets throughout the region.

ECHS will have their chance at an upset next Friday night as they host No. 1 Jackson.

“Next week is a big, big, big, big game, this is our chance,” Heaton said. “We are trying to get to the point as a program and as a team to where we can knock off a top-ranked opponent and somebody that is a championship caliber team, and we’ll have another chance Friday night. It’ going to be exciting and it’s going to be here at home, so we like that. We’ve got to have a great week.”