Bulldogs vanquish Blue Devils, 57-28
The Bulldogs rolled up 544 yards of offense and 57 points at Nolan Atkins Stadium en route to vanquishing the Notasulga Blue Devils from the second round of the 2020 AHSAA state playoffs. The Bulldogs led by as many as 37 points during the game and ended with a 57-28 victory.
The Dawgs started the night by scoring on their opening drive of the game. Walker Thompson hit Jaden Lewis for a 55-yard scoring pass. Thompson’s PAT gave the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead with 9:42 to go in the first quarter.
Lewis followed up his touchdown reception by picking off a Blue Devil pass on their first play from scrimmage and returning it for a touchdown. The PAT failed, but the Dawgs claimed a 13-0 lead with 9:23 to go in the first quarter.
Notasulga got on the board at the 7:55 mark of the first quarter on a 27-yard touchdown run from Walter Tatum. The PAT closed the Bulldog lead to 13-7.
With 39 seconds remaining in the first quarter, Thompson found the end zone on a 2-yard run. Jaylin Dixon converted the 2-point attempt, giving the Bulldogs a 19-7 lead.
Thompson notched his second 2-yard touchdown run and Lewis converted another 2-point try, following a failed fourth down conversion attempt by the Blue Devils. The Dawgs stretched their lead to 27-7 with 4:55 to go in the second quarter.
Following a Blue Devil punt on their ensuing possession, Jaland Lewis Horton scored on an 8-yard run with 1:35 to go in the first half. Thompson’s PAT upped the Bulldog lead to 34-7.
The Bulldogs recovered a Blue Devil fumble on the following drive, but the Blue Devils’ Skylar Trimble picked off a Bulldog pass and returned it for a touchdown with 40 seconds remaining in the first half. The PAT trimmed the Bulldog lead to 34-14.
The Dawgs were able to put three more points on the board in the first half on their ensuing possession. A 35-yard run from Dixon, a 6-yard run from Horton and a 16-yard Dixon run, followed by a 15-yard pass interference penalty on the Blue Devils put Thompson in rang to hit a 29-yard field goal to give the Bulldogs a 37-14 lead going into halftime.
The Blue Devils received the opening kick of the second half, but Lashon Young picked off a Notasulga pass that led to a 2-yard touchdown run by Jaylin Dixon. Thompson’s PAT gave the Dawgs a 44-14 lead with 8:43 to play in the third quarter.
The Dawgs struck again at the 3:05 mark of the third quarter on Christian Dunning’s 17-yard run. Thompson’s PAT increased the Bulldog lead to 51-14 over the Blue Devils.
Notasulga answered on their ensuing possession, when Tatum notched his second touchdown run of the night. The 7-yarder and subsequent PAT trimmed the Bulldog lead to 51-21 with 46 seconds to go in the third quarter.
The Bulldogs scored their final touchdown of the game on a Delvontae Lucy 6-yard run with 3:15 remaining in the game. The PAT failed, leaving the Dawgs with a 57-21 lead.
The Blue Devils’ Tatum tacked on his third touchdown of the night on a 53-yard run with 26 seconds remaining. The PAT closed the gap to the final score of 57-28 in favor of the Dawgs.
Thompson completed four of six passes for 108 yards and one touchdown. Lewis had 81 yards and a touchdown on two catches. Horton had one catch for 34 yards.
Dixon led the Bulldog ground attack with 184 yards and one touchdown on 15 carries. Horton added 79 yards and one touchdown on 13 carries. Dunning had 54 yards and two touchdowns on six carries. Jonathan Morris tallied 42 yards on four carries. Thompson scored two touchdowns and totaled 29 yards on five attempts. Lucy had 19 yards and one touchdown on three carries. Devonte Blanks had 14 yards on two carries, Deshanard Blanks had four carries for 12 yards and William Etheridge had three yards on one carry.
The Bulldogs will host the undefeated Linden Patriots next Friday night in Sweet Water for the third round of the 2020 AHSAA football playoffs.