Bulldogs shut down Dragons
For two possessions, Cedartown had to struggle to find its offensive foundation against the Pepperell Dragons, who were christening their newlyrenovated home field Friday evening.
But the Bulldogs worked through early mistakes to get on the board first and never looked back in a 42-10 defeat of the Dragons in Lindale.
Cedartown quarterback Trevon Wofford was 13-of-16 passing for 169 yards and four touchdowns in the non-region rivalry game. Tony Mathis had 14 carries for 119 yards and a touchdown, as well as two touchdown receptions for the Class 4A Bulldogs, who held a 21-3 lead at halftime.
“We were hitting on all cylinders tonight,” Cedartown head coach Doyle Kelley said. “Pepperell’s got a good ball club. I’m not going to take anything away from Pepperell. But it just seemed like everything fell in place for us tonight.”
Pepperell’s offense sputtered early and had just 58 total yards at halftime as the Dragons’ defense was unable to contain Cedartown’s tricky backfield. The Bulldogs finished with 438 yards of total offense.
Pepperell head coach Rick Hurst said his players’ inability to tackle in space led to the continuation of Cedartown drives and, ultimately, touchdowns.
“That’s been an issue for us throughout the first three games. I think we can get there, but we don’t break down and we don’t finish. And that’s disheartening because it’s been a concern and a primary focus for the last month,” Hurst said. “We’re putting the guys in position to make the plays. It’s just when we get there, we’re not finishing.”
The opening drive on the nonregion contest ended with Cedartown (4-0) failing to convert on fourth- and- 6 at the Dragons’ 9-yard line.
Pepperell (1-2) punted on its first possession, and then Dragon linebacker Jimmy Powell tipped and intercepted a Wofford pass two plays later.
Yet the Bulldogs forced a three- and- out on the next Pepperell drive and began a 10-play, 70-yard drive that was capped off by a 5-yard run from Mathis with just 32 seconds left in the first quarter.
BULLDOGS