Reading the final score of the Prattville-Opelika semifinal football game without having seen the game would lead to a conclusion that the game was a very close one.

Taking a closer look, however, yields a slightly different outcome.

The final score of the game was indeed close. But the Lions made it that way due to costly mistakes in the kicking game.

Opelika drew first blood in the game after a critical clipping penalty was assessed on a 73-yard punt return by Justin Albert for a touchdown. The touchdown would have given the Lions an early lead with 6:20 left in the quarter.

Instead, the Lions took over at their 34. The drive bogged down after a false start penalty moved the ball back to the 29. Following the penalty was an incomplete pass, a 5-yard penalty against Opelika, a 1-yard pass to Lewis Haley, and a 2-yard pass to Justin Albert.

Josh Allen came into to punt, and the snap sailed at least five feet over his head. He had to chase it down and once he gained control of the ball, he attempted to punt anyway.

The out-of-control nature of the play doomed the punt. The ball went out of bounds at the Prattville 17, a 20-yard loss.

Opelika scored in four plays, but William Albert blocked the extra point attempt.

Opelika's second touchdown came under similar circumstances in the third quarter. Again, a punt was at the center of the situation.

Prattville had taken a 13-6 lead after a near-eight-minute possession to begin the second half. Egan's kickoff traveled to the Opelika 25, where the Dawgs returned to the 37. Opelika made one first down, and then bogged down at the Prattville 46.

Coach Spence McCracken elected to punt rather than go for the first down. It proved to a wise choice, as Brockman Sanders' punt was downed on the Lions 1-yard line.

A run from Prattville quarterback Larry Smith resulted in a gain of a yard. On second and third downs, Smith attempted two passes, both incomplete. One of the incompletions was caught by Dekendrick Moncrief, but he was ruled out of bounds before the catch at the Prattville 27.

Prattville had to punt again. This time, the snap was good and the punt was handled successfully, but a strong rush from the Opelika punt block team disrupted the play.

The punt traveled only 25 yards to the Lion 26. Opelika didn't take long to capitalize, as Brandon Dowdell zipped around right end on first down for another touchdown.

Opelika scored twice, even though the Bulldogs had traveled only 43 yards to do it.

Prattville controlled the football for 32 minutes and 27 seconds over the course of the game. Opelika had the ball for 15 minutes and 32 seconds.

Although the Lions' kicking game was out of sorts for most of the evening, the defense suffered no such problems,

The Bulldogs' star running back Joseph Wilson, who had rushed for more than 1,700 yards during the regular season, was held to 63 yards on 16 carries and failed to score. Opelika had 38 offensive plays, while Prattville had 78 offensive plays.

Prattville also struggled with penalties in crucial moments, although the Lions overcame 20 yards in penalties on the first drive of the second half.

Prattville also benefited from loud, strong support from its fans, despite Opelika officials locking the gate to the end zone seating, to the disappointment of several hundred Prattville fans who had tickets and were turned away. One official, who claimed to be the superintendent of city schools, said the closure of the end zone to reserve seating for Opelika fans only had been cleared previously by AHSAA officials.

Prattville fans were forced to sit on embankments, or stand at the top of seating areas that were built onto a small hillside.

It was a very cold night, certainly the coldest of the season. But to the Prattville fans, some even tailgating in the parking lots, it was a night to remember as their Lions go to Birmingham, looking for the state championship.