By Ryan Jones

sports@vindy.com

North Jackson

Following a season filled with disappointment, first year coach Ryan Slone and the Windham Bombers didn’t need long to make amends.

Windham, who suffered a 0-10 record in 2009, posted a 21-7 victory over Jackson-Milton in the 2010 season opener for both teams.

Slone said he wasn’t sure how much support the team had heading into this year.

“When you go winless you don’t give people much reason to believe,” he said. “We knew we had a lot of work to do this season, but we knew all along that we had a great group of kids. I can’t tell you how proud I am of them. This is their win; they deserve all the credit.”

Holding a 7-0 lead at halftime, the Bombers defense forced Jackson-Milton into a three-and-out on its first possession.

The Bombers offense fared much better with its first opportunity. Quarterback Matt Knight, who led Windham with 169 yards of total offense, directed a 12-play, 61-yard drive that he capped off with a 1-yard touchdown plunge to give his squad a 13-0 advantage.

Slone said his halftime speech emphasized getting a defensive stop to begin the third period.

“And I told our offense if you score on your first possession you’ll put the dagger in them. We felt if we could get up two scores that we had a good chance to win.”

Jackson-Milton cut the margin to 13-7 when Brennen Morrison took the first snap of the fourth quarter and scored on a 58-yard scamper.

Jackson-Milton coach Mark Assion said Morrison’s touchdown run put his team right back in the game.

“I thought Windham designed their run blitz scheme very well,” he said. “They had eight in the box and for most of the night we couldn’t bust a seam. Brennen got loose on that play and showed the type of athleticism he has. Once he got to the second level, there was nobody around him.”

Windham’s defense tightened and forced the Blue Jays into three 3-and-outs on their final three possessions.

“We have nine or ten guys that play both ways,” Slone said. “Tonight, defense provided the momentum because most of the same guys play offense too. I thought our offense fed off of getting stops and forcing turnovers.”

Jake Higginbotham, who totaled only 11 yards rushing in the first half, came up with 51 yards in the second and finished the scoring for Windham with an 8-yard touchdown run at the 4:36 mark of the fourth quarter.