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The Albemarle football team lost eight games in the 2022 season by an average point differential of 20.8, including entering this season on a two-game losing slide.

Albemarle entered Friday’s game against another winless team, the Anson Bearcats, having lost three to start the season by a far smaller differential, 6.7 points, including two games of single-digit losses.

In another close game, the Bulldogs lost to the Bearcats 17-14, the sixth straight loss for the program dating to last season.

Anson (1-3) took the lead midway through the first quarter, forcing a turnover and putting together a 41-yard touchdown drive to lead 7-0.

Albemarle (0-4) got within one point just before halftime. Ander Artis threw a TD pass to Zyion Geiger with 26.4 seconds left in the first half.

The Bearcats extended the team’s lead late in the third quarter with a 27-yard field goal from Graham Fowler.

Anson built a 17-6 lead in the fourth quarter, but the Bulldogs responded in the final three minutes. Malik Watkins’s one-yard plunge into the end zone, along with a two-point conversion by Kaine McLendon, pulled the Bulldogs back into three, 17-14.

Albemarle went for the onside kick, but Anson recovered. However, the Bulldogs stopped the Bearcats on four straight plays and took over with little time left on the clock.

At the Albemarle 39, the Bulldogs threw deep, but Anson picked off the ball and ran the clock out to preserve the win.

Albemarle has two non-conference games left this season, and will be on the road this Friday at Southwestern Randolph (3-0). The Cougars won in Week 4 at home versus McMichael 20-7.