Rocky Bayou wins inaugural contest

 By ADAM PRUIETT

adamp@nwfdailynews.com

DESTIN - The Rocky Bayou Christian football team is officially undefeated.

In the first game in school history, the Knights made history with a landmark 25-12 victory Friday over Munroe Day.

"It definitely feels good winning, coming out and doing good, but we've got a long season and the games are going to get harder," said Billy Thomas, who scored twice for Rocky Bayou. "We've got to stay humble and play harder."

At a packed Destin Middle School, Rocky Bayou's defense was the story, intercepting four passes and recovering one fumble. But a close second was the team's special teams, which produced two touchdowns.

"We kind of try to hit hard," said a grinning Rocky Bayou coach John Reaves, "and it really paid off for us tonight."

Dion Wright scored the first touchdown in Rocky Bayou's history with a 75-yard kickoff return in the first quarter. Wright spun out of a tackle and zoomed past Munroe Day's approaching defense to the end zone.

Rocky Bayou (1-0) struggled to move the ball offensively, but luckily the Knights' defense put them in prime scoring position for two crucial touchdowns. On consecutive Munroe Day possessions in the second quarter, Rocky Bayou intercepted Cody Watson passes deep in Munroe territory.

Josiah Duffey's pick set up the Knights at the 15, and seven players later Thomas plowed in from the 3 to give Rocky Bayou a 13-12 lead.

Three plays later, James Waldron intercepted Watson to put Rocky Bayou at the 10. On the Knights' first play, a wide open Thomas snatched a go-ahead touchdown pass from Noah Mosley.

"I was nervous because I always drop them in practice, but it was a perfect throw," Thomas said.

Rocky Bayou's defense put the clamps on Munroe Day (0-1) in the second half, pitching a shutout as Wright and James Kaim both picked off Watson. Aaron Cain sealed the victory with a fumble recovery.

Rocky Bayou's defense picked up an offense that only registered 22 yards in the second half. The Knights did score one other touchdown on a 65-yard return by Kaim off a botched Munroe punt.

"I thought maybe I was going to get clobbered, but I caught the ball and looked up and I was pretty wide open," Kaim said.