By MIKE MARSEE

Contributing Writer

NICHOLASVILLE – Frank Parks Jr. learned a great deal about his Danville football team Friday night.

The first-year coach saw both good and bad things in the Admirals’ season-opening loss to West Jessamine that he and his coaching staff can use going forward.

A rebuilding Danville team lost its first season opener since 2012, falling 34-27 in the R.J. Corman Jessamine County Bowl at East Jessamine.

It was the first step in a long road back for a very young Danville team, and Parks is in it for the long haul.

“It’s a process,” Parks said. “We’ve got to chip away and continue to improve, and by the time we get to district time be the best version of ourselves.”

The outcome was in doubt until the final three minutes, when the Admirals were stopped inside the 10-yard line after they had rallied from a 20-7 first-half deficit.

“The kids did a good job of fighting and getting back into the game and taking the lead,” Parks said. “We went down two touchdowns and they could have easily quit, but they came back and we took the lead, and I was proud of them for that.”

Senior linebacker Treanton Alcorn said the way they will respond to the loss in practice this week and Saturday against Pulaski County in the Whitaker Bank Pigskin Classic is important.

“It’s all about mental. Bad mental means bad game, good mental means strong, positive game, and I’ll just continue to encourage my teammates and play as hard as I possibly can,” Alcorn said.

Braidin Baughman rushed 18 times for 191 yards and two long touchdowns for Danville.

Baughman had an 83-yard TD on the Admirals’ third play, and his 85-yard run with 10:09 remaining and  Kaleb Wilcher’s extra-point kick gave them a 27-26 lead.

West Jessamine regained the lead with 5:32 to play and was about to get the ball back when a dropped fair catch was recovered by Danville’s Thomasson Smith at the 25.

The Admirals drove to the 7, but a defender used his helmet to dislodge the ball on a rushing attempt and the Colts recovered at the 5.

Danville’s Enrique Gutierrez-Jacobs was 8 for 15 for 119 passing yards and threw TD passes to Demontrae Trumbo and Trinden Sellers.

The defense forced five turnovers, including fumble recoveries by Sellers, Trumbo, Richard Norris and Sasha Wade.

 

West Jessamine 34, Danville 27

Danville 7-6-7-7 – 27

West Jessamine 13-7-6-8 – 34

 

SCORING SUMMARY

First Quarter

DHS – Braidin Baughman 83 run (Kaleb Wilcher kick), 10:25.

WJ – Gabriel Smith 3 run (kick failed), 6:56.

WJ – Chase Satterwhite 35 pass from Smith (Connor Archer kick), 5:00.

 

Second Quarter

WJ – Smith 2 run (Archer kick), 4:38.

DHS – Demontrae Trumbo 32 pass from Enrique Gutierrez-Jacobs (run failed), 1:39.

 

Third Quarter

WJ – Brady Swaim 32 pass from Smith (pass failed), 9:31.

DHS – Trinden Sellers 66 pass from Gutierrez-Jacobs (Wilcher kick), 6:36.

 

Fourth Quarter

DHS – Baughman 85 run (Wilcher kick), 10:09.

WJ – Smith 5 run (Isaac Maynard pass from Smith), 5:32.