By DREW GRANTHUM/Sports Editor

HELENA — The stage was set, the stands were packed and the atmosphere was electric, but it was not the opening the home town fans hoped for, as the first home game for the Helena High Huskies saw the squad fall to Demopolis, 48-31.

A promising start came up short, as the Huskies opened the game with both teams trading three-and-outs before Helena put together a drive that stalled at, scoring on a Jack Reid field goal to put Helena up, 3-0, with 6:45 left in the first.

Helena got on the board again when Riley Davis took a 1-yard run in for a score. The point after was good, and the Huskies led 10-0 with 3:10 left in the first.

The Huskies took a commanding 17-0 lead following a 4-yard run by Devan Walker. The Reid extra point was good, and with 10:38 left in the half, Helena appeared to be in control.

Demopolis answered 10 seconds later, breaking a 60-yard run for a score. After a Helena punt, the Tigers scored again, using good field position and a 50-yard drive to get on the board again to make 17-14 with 5:18 left to go in the half.

Following a turnover on down, Helena’s Austin Davis hauled in an interception, but the Huskies gave it back four plays later on an interception.

The two squads then traded fumbles, with Demopolis scoring as time expired in the half to take a 21-17 lead headed into half.

The Tigers took four plays to score again following the break, making it 28-17 with 10:32 left in the third. The Tigers scored three more to make it 48-17 with 15.8 left in the third quarter.

Despite the long odds, the Huskies continued to fight. Terrel Blevins broke a 9-yard run for a score to make it 48-24 following the point after, cutting the lead in half with 7:45 to go in the game.

The Huskies added the final points of the contest when Davis hit Phildon Dublin in the corner of the endzone to bring the final score to 48-31.

Head coach Watt Parker said he proud of the effort, despite the result.

“Real pleased with the effort,” he said. “It’s a situation where the physicality, we’re just not ready to compete at that level. We got a bunch of really high-caliber kids (with) a lot of great character, and phenomenal, phenomenal community and student support, and those are the things we know we can build a championship program on.”

The Huskies now look to square off with county rival Chelsea on Sept. 26.