Belgreen High School plays first football game in decades
Belgreen Bulldogs, High School Sports, Sports, Top News Stories FRONT PAGE, Z - News Main, Z - TOP HOME
 By  Bart Moss Published 
12:57 pm Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Belgreen High School plays first football game in decades

The Belgreen Bulldogs did not win in their first time back on the gridiron in decades, but they did make history, memories and have a lot of fun.

“It was a very emotional night for the players,” said Belgreen coach Jonathan Raper. “They were very excited to finally get to play, and very nervous, too. We had a great crowd at the game, and they were loud.”

The Bulldogs lone touchdown came when Landon Cox intercepted a pass and returned it 90 yards to the one-yard line before Will King punched it in for the score.

“I was just happy to make the play and really excited,” said Cox. “It was exciting to get down there and help set up the first points for the program.”

“It is awesome to be a part of the team,” said Cox. “There have been a lot of guys who have come through Belgreen who wanted to play football but couldn’t. I am just proud to represent our school and hopefully it leads to some great players and teams in Belgreen’s future.

King said he thought Cox was going to get that first touchdown on the long interceptions return.

“I thought Landon was going to score on a pick-six but he came up just short,” said King. “I was just honored to get the ball and carry it on in to score.”

“It was an honor to put on that jersey that said Belgreen on it,” he added.

“Will had several good runs Friday night,” Raper said. “He did an outstanding job on the touchdown, with very good blocking in front of him. The team was very excited when we scored.”

Belgreen will open the season officially Thursday at Cherokee. Under AHSAA regulations, the Bulldogs will only be able to play a junior high and junior varsity schedule for two years.

Also on Franklin County Times
Mayor updates status of downtown buildings
Main, News, Phil Campbell, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
December 3, 2025
PHIL CAMPBELL — Mayor Greg Williams told councilmembers during their Nov. 18 meeting efforts are still ongoing to get a group of downtown buildings co...
HB 65 would benefit seniors
Main, News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
December 3, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE — Seniors in Franklin County could see longterm relief on rising property taxes under a proposed amendment to the Alabama Constitution th...
55-year tradition connects family
Main, News
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
December 3, 2025
SPRUCE PINE — Regina Jackson’s home has been the gathering place for her family for more than five decades. It’s where they’ve shared songs, games, an...
Dual enrollment students explore county’s history
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
December 3, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE — Students from Belgreen and Vina stepped out of their online history class and into Franklin County’s past this fall as part of a dual e...
Close the crypto loophole before it hurts rural areas
Columnists, Opinion
December 3, 2025
As the state representative for a largely rural district in Alabama, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside farmers, small business owners, and f...
Making room for meaningful moments
Columnists, Opinion
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
December 3, 2025
December arrives quickly, even when we think we are prepared for it. Lights go up, schedules fill, and daylight disappears earlier each afternoon. It ...
8 place in 2 divisions
Franklin County, Sports
December 3, 2025
Franklin County Anglers teams competed recently in a tournament that included both junior and senior divisions. In the Junior Division, Eli Boyd and T...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *