STONEWALL -- It’s a 23-mile journey from C.E. Byrd High School to North DeSoto High School.
Friday, Aden Fullwood stacked as many prayers as he could into the ride here.
“There were a whole bunch of nerves,” he told the Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate.
Why?
The sophomore, a wide receiver/wing back/returner for Byrd, was headed here to face the vaunted Griffins, the reigning Non-Select Division II runner-up.
As the starting quarterback.
After what everyone in attendance witnessed, a famous line from Charles S. Dutton, who played Fortune in the movie “Rudy,” is appropriate.
“You’re 5-feet nothing, 100 and nothing … you don’t need to prove nothin’ to nobody …”
The Yellow Jackets didn’t knock off North DeSoto -- they lost 38-20, but Fullwood’s performance won’t be forgotten by those who paid attention anytime soon.
Let’s address the elephant inside Griffin Stadium.
Fullwood is listed at 5-foot-4 and 115 pounds. And, if it’s possible, he seemed smaller.
He didn’t run like Michael Vick or sling the ball around the field like Dan Marino, but Fullwood earned the respect of a packed stadium.
Fullwood took big hit after big hit as the pilot of the Yellow Jackets’ option offense. After one half, Byrd trailed by 21 points.
The second half was a different, eye-opening story. Fullwood led a pair of scoring drives and the winless Yellow Jackets outscored the undefeated Griffins over the final 24 minutes.
“A gutsy performance by that little quarterback – what is he, their fourth- or fifth-string guy?” North DeSoto head coach Dennis Dunn said. “For him to be able to execute is even a miracle.”
Fullwood, who runs the opening leg on the 4x100 during track season, gained 62 yards on 11 carries and even unleashed a few passes – he did what he could to get the ball into the hands of superstar running back Christian Maxie.
"That's my guy," Maxie said. "Just a sophomore; that's my guy."
Fullwood completed 4 of 6 attempts for 70 yards, one interception and a 26-yard touchdown toss to Maxie in the fourth quarter.
“At halftime, that was the mind-set -- ‘We’re not going to fold over.’ We knew we were going to keep fighting,” Fullwood said. “I didn’t see (the success in the passing game) coming.”
Fullwood then made a self-deprecating joke about the strength of his arm.
“He’s a competitor, a very coachable player,” Byrd head coach Stacy Ballew said. “He understands what we’re doing on offense and what he needs to do. He’s a great kid.”
Fullwood's father, Albert, played football and ran track -- like father, like son -- at Byrd more than two decades ago. Aden’s older brothers (Ashton, 2021-23; Alton 2023-24) also played for the Yellow Jackets.
Perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise Fullwood’s composure and awareness rivaled the toughness he displayed Friday.
“I’m going to relish it for a long time,” he said. “Thirty years from now, I’m going to tell my kids, ‘Your dad started as a sophomore. If I can do it, you can do it as a freshman.’”
The Yellow Jackets (0-3) get back at it Friday with a home game against Pleasant Grove at Lee Hedges Stadium, where Fullwood should be in line for career start No. 2.
“I’m grateful to God and all the people who stuck behind me – the whole group (of teammates and coaches),” Fullwood said. “There is so much excitement, a whole lot of nervousness, but I’m excited for what’s to come.”
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Email Roy Lang III at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter, @RoyLangIII.
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