The Beauregard Hornets used a punishing running game and big-play defense to beat Selma 29-6 on Thursday night in the 18th AHSAA Kickoff Classic at Montgomery’s Cramton Bowl.

Jayden Doolittle rushed for 74 yards on 19 carries and scored a touchdown, while teammate Z.J. Grady added 46 yards on seven carries and scored on runs of 1 and 16 yards. Grady also scored twice on fake extra-point kicks for the Hornets (1-0).

The loss spoiled the debut of first-year Selma coach Leon Day.

Beauregard marched to the end zone on its first possession of the season to open the game. Grady, a junior, scored the touchdown on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line and scored the 2-point conversion on a perfect fake kick try. The Hornets led 8-0 at the 5:28 mark of the opening quarter.

Selma answered with a 58-yard touchdown pass from Samarion Woods to Jarvarius Marks at the 2:21 mark of the first quarter to cut Beauregard’s lead to 8-6. The try for two failed.

The Saints defense stopped the Hornets on the next drive, but a kicking game mistake gave Beauregard new life when a punt was touched by a Selma player and recovered by Corday Stinson at the Saints’ 43-yard line to end the first quarter.

The Hornets struck again at 6:03 in the second quarter when Doolittle, a senior, hauled in a screen pass from Trent Moulton and streaked down the right sideline for 45 yards and a touchdown. The kick by Josh Lugo was good as Beauregard took a 15-6 lead.

Grady scored his second TD, a 16-yard run, to build a 23-7 lead with 1:45 to go in the first half. Doolittle added a 10-yard TD run with 9:04 to play.

Don’t forget: The AHSAA Kickoff Classic continues Friday night with four-time defending Class 7A state champion Thompson facing Opelika in game two of the 2023 Kickoff Classic at Cramton Bowl at 8 p.m. The game will be televised by the AHSAA TV Network and livestreamed over the NFHS Network.

Stat sheet: Linebacker Caleb Piner led the Beauregard defense with 10 tackles, including one sack and 3.5 tackles for loss. Beauregard quarterback Trent Moulton was 2-of-3 passing for 71 yards. … Selma’s Woods completed 8-of-20 passes for 102 yards with one TD. Omari Smith had three catches for 29 yards and Jarvarius Marks had two catches for 62 yards. Selma’s Kendarious White recorded a game-high 11 tackles and Ameire Eaton totaled eight stops.

What’s next?: Beauregard (1-0) plays at Central-Haynveille on Sept. 1, the same day Selma (0-1) plays Southside-Selma.

Holtville 28, Fultondale 24

Holtville quarterback Keiland Baker scored on a 3-yard run midway through the fourth quarter, capping the Bulldogs’ comeback in a 28-24 victory over Fultondale.

Holtville spoiled the first game at Fultondale’s new on-campus stadium, built alongside the new school that replaced the one damaged by a tornado in January 2025.

Fultondale, in its first game under new coach Keon Handley, also suffered its 17th straight loss dating back to the 2021 season.

The Wildcats (0-1) blocked two first-half punts, and Rod Johnson returned an interception 93 yards for a touchdown to help build a 24-0 lead. Brandon Woodall threw two touchdowns, one to Anthony Craig and another to Eric Brown.

Baker threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Erik Adkins in the final minute of the first half, putting Holtville (1-0) on the board and making it 24-7 at halftime. Josh Jimenez added touchdown runs of 10 and seven yards before Baker’s go-ahead TD run with 5:14 remaining.

Fultondale, which lost 58-8 to Holtville in the 2022 season opener, plays at Carver-Montgomery next week, while Holtville visits Alma Bryant.

Arab 34, Albertville 6

Arab scored 20 first half points on the way to the victory.

Logan Alldredge ran 24 times for 112 yards and 2 TDs for Arab while while Drew Puccio added 5 runs for 32 yards and a score, completing 12-of-19 passes for 107 yards and 2 more TDs with an interception.

Luke Hudson caught 6 passes for 53 yards and 2 TDs and Landon Strickland grabbed 4 passes for 46 yards.