By John Glover
The Daily News

The Ben’s Ford Eagles hosted the New Orleans Home School Saints on Friday night in the season opener. This was the first time either team took the field this year as neither had a scrimmage or a jamboree.
With a final score of 35-6, the Eagles took a firm command for the duration of the game.
The Saints won the coin toss and chose to receive, but in their first possession, they met a solid Eagles defense and were forced to punt.
The Eagles put themselves on the board within two plays. A handoff by Tyler Winstead to Jacob Seal for 23 yards put the Eagles on the 12-yard-line. Winstead then kept the ball and scored the first touchdown of the game. The extra point went wide right.
The Eagles scored once more in the first quarter. After the defense forced the Saints to punt, the Eagles took over at the Saints’ 41. On first down, Winstead made a quick handoff to Seal, who tore through the Saints defense and ran the 41 yards for the touchdown. Winstead ran in the two-point conversion, increasing the Eagles’ lead to 14-0.
Ben’s Ford added two more touchdowns in the second quarter.
After forcing the Saints to turn the ball over of downs, the Eagles made a six-play, 53-yard drive downfield, ending in a handoff from Winstead to Seal at the 8-yard-line. Seal punched through and another touchdown went on the board. Winstead and Seal repeated the play for a two-point conversion.
With five minutes left in the first half and the Eagles back in possession, Winstead opted again for the quarterback keep with success and punched through for the last touchdown of the half. Austin Stogner succeeded in his extra point and the score was 29-0 at the half.
The second half opened with the Eagles in possession again. A two-minute drive ended when Winstead handed off to Gage Tervalon at the 19-yard-line. Tervalon slipped past the Saints defense on the left and into the end zone for the fifth and last touchdown for the Eagles. The extra point went wide, which left the score at 35-0.
In the fourth quarter, the Saints ended the Eagles’ hope of a shutout. Saints quarterback Thomas Eastland made a quick handoff to Jude Rivera, who found a hole and put the visitors on the board. The Eagles defense stopped the two-point conversion attempt and the final score was 35-6.
Ben’s Ford will host rival Bowling Green at home Friday.