Sometimes the scoreboard doesn’t tell the whole truth. That was the case Friday night at Hayden, as the Wildcats lost to the Moody Blue Devils 24-6.

The Wildcats outgained the Devils by six yards. Hayden amassed almost 300 yards rushing to only a little over 100 for Moody. The Blue Devils racked up 167 yards passing, but Hayden controlled the line of scrimmage overall.

After the opening kickoff, Moody wasted little time getting into the end zone. Gabe Webb caught a pass from Christian Weems and raced 33 yards for the score. Ashton Carter added the point after to put Moody up 7-0.

After swapping punts, the Wildcats would start on an eight play, 42-yard touchdown drive. Sophomore running back Joel Ciriello ran in from seven yards for the Hayden score. The Cats attempt at the 2-point conversion came up short, but Hayden had cut the score to 7-6 with 32.8 seconds left in the first quarter. The touchdown marked the first points Hayden has scored so far this season.

Hayden’s defense stood up and forced a Moody punt on the next possession. The Cats then drove deep into Devil territory to the 16 before turning the ball over on downs. A key play in the drive came on a fourth-and-8 at the 35, when Ciriello ran 14 yards for the Hayden first down.

Moody’s Carter hit a 23-yard field goal with 1:46 left in the first half to give the Devils a 10-6 halftime lead.

Hayden’s defense forced a Moody punt to start the second half, but disaster stuck shortly afterwards. The Cats fumbled and Moody recovered at the Hayden 35.

Weems then found Max Archer for 18 yards and a score. Carter’s point after put the Devils up 17-6 with 9:54 remaining in the third period.

Moody scored again 64 seconds later when Rod Gardner recovered a Wildcat fumble, and ran it in from eight yards out to Moody up 24-6 with 8:58 remaining in the third.

But the Wildcats didn’t give up. The next possession ended in Moody territory at the 36 before turning the ball over on downs. On the Cats next drive, Hayden was in great position to score but turned the ball over on downs at the Moody 5.

Ciriello ran for 160 yards on 23 carries and a touchdown. Sophomore running back Colton Shirley added 48 yards on 13 carries.

The Cats (0-4, 0-3 region) travel to Moulton to take on Lawrence County next Friday night.