Extra Point Game of the Week Preview: Week Three – the Geneva County Bulldogs host the GW Long Rebels

HARTFORD, Ala (WDHN) — It’s been a resurgent season for the Geneva County Bulldogs, led by first-year head coach Al Gilmore and star running back Brendan Hall. Tomorrow night, they face off against region rival GW Long in a critical matchup that may look deceiving based on records alone.

Geneva County head coach Al Gilmore is not taking the Rebels lightly.

“You look at GW Long’s record and it’s fool’s gold,” Gilmore said. “You look at things like that on paper, and it can make you think one thing when the truth is completely different. We know we’re going to have our hands full with GW Long. They’re well-coached, they’re a talented football team.”

On the other side, GW Long head coach David Watts recognizes the Bulldogs’ strengths, especially in their dynamic offense.

“Coach Gilmore does a real good job. Offensively, they’ve been dynamic this year with one of the best athletes in the region at running back,” Watts said. “They’re scoring over 50 points a game, so we know it’s going to be a big challenge for us. They’re probably a little more athletic than us in a few spots.”

One area where the Rebels feel they can match up is at quarterback. Sophomore Preston Williams has been a steady leader for GW Long, and his play will be crucial in this matchup.

“He’s deceptively fast,” Gilmore said. “You watch him on film, and it doesn’t look like he’s moving that fast, but he covers so much ground with each stride. He’s very smart and well-coached, and we’ll need to play a very clean game to match up with him.”

For the Rebels, containing Geneva County’s potent rushing attack will be a top priority. Watts emphasized the importance of being disciplined against a Bulldogs offense that can hurt you both on the ground and through the air.

“They’re very good at what they do, and obviously running the ball is their focus,” Watts said. “But they’ll hurt you in the passing game if you get your eyes in the wrong place. It’s all about being technical and being where you need to be.”

GW Long quarterback Preston Williams is confident his team is ready to slow down the Bulldogs’ offense. “From the film I’ve seen, they like to run a lot of big pulls, but I feel like we’re going to get downhill on that and stop them early,” Williams said.

Linebacker Blayne Wood echoed that sentiment. “We just have to contain their running back,” Wood said. “We all know about him, we know he can run the ball. The best thing to do is keep him contained, don’t let him get to the outside.”

However, slowing down Geneva County’s backfield is easier said than done. The Bulldogs boast a dangerous one-two punch in Brendan Hall and quarterback Caden Hutchings, a duo that has been building chemistry for years.

“We’re really like a duo,” Hutchings said. “It’s just chemistry—we’ve been playing together our whole lives, and now it’s really fun to be winning and beating other teams.”

This season has been a remarkable turnaround for Geneva County, which went winless last year but has started 3-0 in 2024. Hall has noticed a big change in fan support as the Bulldogs have turned their fortunes around.

“Last year, we’d have home games and nobody would show up,” Hall said. “But now, people see we’re good, we can actually do something, and they want to come out and support. It feels amazing when you score, and you hear everyone cheering. It’s the best feeling.”

Tomorrow night’s game kicks off at 7 p.m. at Dixie Howell Stadium, where the Bulldogs hope to continue their hot start while the Rebels look to spoil their momentum.

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