DAINGERFIELD -- On the opening play of the 2012 football season, Gladewater quarterback Derrick Daniels took a zone-read 68 yards down the sideline to the 12. Two plays later, he scored on a 12-yard run, and the Bears rushing attack never let up.

Behind the legs of Daniels and running back Tyler Price, the Bears (1-0) accounted for 400 rushing yards as they defeated the Tigers 31-14 in Daingerfield on Friday night. Daniels ran 13 times for 223 yards and two touchdowns, while Price ran 30 times for 131 yards and one score.

loading...

"This is what we've been building on," said Gladewater coach Jerrod Baugh. "Starting my third year here, you preach stuff to the kids about teamwork and working together. We were glad to get a win like that against a quality football team. It's something for us to build on."

Leading 6-0, the Bears assembled a nine-play drive capped by a nine-yard touchdown keeper from Daniels. A Daylon Mack two-point conversion made it 14-0 late in the second quarter.

Right before halftime, Gladewater linebacker Clint Sorrels got a safety, forcing Daingerfield quarterback Edwin Mims into an intentional grounding penalty in the end zone for a 16-0 Bears lead.

Sorrels finished with a sack, forced fumble, and pass breakup. Not bad for a kid who didn't play football the year before.

"It's been a nice surprise to have him come back out," Baugh said of Sorrells.

The Tigers fumbled the opening kickoff of the second half, and Gladewater quickly capitalized with a Price five-yard touchdown jaunt. Another Mack two-point conversion run put the Bears ahead 24-0 in front of a stunned Tiger Stadium crowd.

Daingerfield answered with an eight play drive of their own, capped by a Mims six-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Jonathan Barber. The Tigers pulled within 24-14 when tailback Ramius Wallace took a carry 37 yards to the house less than a minute into the fourth, but that was as close as Daingerfield got. A fumble and interception on the next two drives killed the Tigers' comeback.

loading...

"I told my kids to keep their heads up. That's a good opponent (Gladewater), and we made a lot of mistakes," said second-year Daingerfield coach Aric Sardinea. "Now we have to come back on Monday and be ready to go."

A late five-yard touchdown run by Gladewater's Nick Johnson finished the scoring as Gladewater accumulated 406 total yards in the victory.

Gladewater held Mims to 6-for-9 passing for 48 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, and 19 yards on eight carries.Wallace led Daingerfield with 51 yards on seven carries. Barber had two catches for 49 yards.

Gladewater hosts Pittsburg next Friday, while Daingerfield visits Atlanta (0-1).

More From East Texas Sports Network