By Brandon Sumrall | Special to the Advertiser

After a 42-14 loss to the Prattville Christian Panthers in Week 1 of the 2012 season, the Billingsley Bears hoped to get off to a better start in 2013.

Despite a first half plagued with penalties and turnovers, the Bears offense would muster just enough in the second half for a 20-14 win.

A Billingsley fumble on first down at their own 31-yard line set up the first points of the game on a 28-yard touchdown pass from Hunter Mozingo to Damon Hebb, and the point-after by Bryan Holt would give the Panthers a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter.

After several possession changes by both teams, Billingsley found the end zone on its last possession of the first half to draw to within one of the Panthers and went to the locker room for the half down 7-6.

After a sluggish first half, the Bears offense struck first to start the second half, driving 63 yards and capping the drive with a Terrance Nolen 9-yard touchdown run. Rashaud Caver added the 2-point conversion, putting the Bears up 14-7.

The Panthers struck back on their second possession of the second half on a 4-yard Chase Barnard touchdown run. With the point-after up and good, the game was all tied up with 6:39 to play.

Tommy Williams fielded the ensuing kickoff at his own 8-yard line and scampered 47 yards to the Panther 45. Six plays later and with a Nolan 7-yard touchdown run and the Bears took their first lead of the game, 20-14 with 3:48 to play.

The Panthers took their best shot at the Bears, converting twice on fourth-and-long, but a second-and-10 pass attempt by Mazingo fell into the hands of Dalton Davis, sealing the victory for the Bears.

“We hurt ourselves in the first half with turnovers, but we fought hard in the second half and it’s a lot better feeling to be 1-0 than 0-1,” Billingsley coach Tyson McClean said

Caver lead the way for the Bears with 13 carries and 106 yards. Nolen added 59 yards on 13 carries.