Week 5: 28-6 Win
The Bulldogs came into week 5 looking for their first road win of the season and to go 2-0 in the conference. It wouldnโt be easy against a Taylorville team poised to have a good season, and three of their losses thus far were by eight points or less. The Tornadoes were coming off a week where they nearly beat Mt. Zion and were hungry to end their two-game skid.
Both teams had to contend with the remnants of Hurricane Helene, which provided constant wind blowing at over 30 mph from the north endzone to the south endzone. The winds increased as the game went on, with gusts up to 50 mph. Both teams knew in advance that the weather would be a factor in this game. Both teams have demonstrated strong passing games this season, but the deciding factor in this game would come down to the run game, the offensive and defensive lines, and special teams.
The Bulldogs have shown thus far that they can have a balanced attack in the air and on the ground. We all knew this was going to be a game where the team that could run the ball effectively and have the strongest defensive line would come out victorious. That team was the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs scored one touchdown in each quarter. Of the four touchdowns, three were rushing touchdowns.
One of the more impressive touchdown drives was the one at the end of the first half with the wind in their face. Prior to this drive, Taylorville was able to score and tighten up the game 7-6 in favor of the Bulldogs. With 3:45 left in the first half, the Bulldogs stayed with a strong ground attack. On third and four, the Bulldogs were unable to get the first down. With two minutes remaining in the half, the Bulldogs roll out their diesel package, where Brock VanDeveer had a big rushing gain for the first down. The Bulldogs stayed with the heavy package and got down to the Taylorville 30-yard line with 17 seconds remaining. Lucas Dyer found Owen Seymour, who got the reception, and ran out of bounds on the 17-yard line with 10 seconds remaining. On the very next play, Dyer once again found Seymour, this time in the endzone for a Bulldog touchdown.
The Bulldogs went into halftime with a 14-6 lead.
In the second half, the Bulldog defense remained strong with some key stops, and the Bulldog offense was able to control the clock and add two more touchdowns.
On a night in which the weather added extreme variables, the Bulldogs were able to showcase their depth and versatility to secure the victory.
The Bulldogs move to 3-2 on the season and 2-0 in the conference. Strong opponents early in the season, along with some less-than-ideal weather conditions, the Bulldogs have been battle-tested, which will pay dividends as the season goes along.
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As expected, the ground attack led the Bulldog offense. Of the 376 offensive yards, 310 yards were done on the ground. Cade Ashby carried the load with 30 carries, 152 yards, and had one touchdown. Brock VanDeveer had 61 yards on 9 carries with two touchdowns. Gavin Hammerschmidt had 3 carries for 40 yards, and Wade Manuel had 9 carries for 36 yards. An exceptional job by those Bulldogs hauling the mail.
An exceptional run game is also credited to the offensive line. These men were on the field for a long time in this game, and their toughness, grit, and stamina gave the running backs lanes to keep the offense moving down the field and scoring touchdowns. The unsung heroes of this game in the trenches: Kolton Metcalf-Poulus, Tyson Finch, Joshua Craig, Brayden Lamb, Phillip Daniels, Noah Daniels, and Oliver Smith.
Lucas Dyer was 6-8 passing with 66 yards and a passing touchdown. Dyer also had 10 yards rushing. Owen Seymour was the leading receiver with three receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown.
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The Taylorville offense only accumulated 156 yards. They had 46 yards in the air and 110 yards on the ground. Truth be told, 44 of their rushing yards came on one play in the first quarter when their running back found a seam for a big gain.
A rising star on the Bulldog defense is freshman defensive lineman Jayvon Tompkins. Tompkins led the team in tackles with eight tackles. He is a matchup nightmare for the opposition with a nose for the ball and has shown great versatility and athleticism this season. Tompkins was in all the right places against Taylorville with his hustle and perseverance.
Noah Frank was also key in this game. Frank ended with seven tackles.
Ethan Esker and Henry Wagner continue to show their senior leadership with consistent defensive production. The pair had 8 combined tackles on the night. Esker also had a sack.
Another senior, Brayden Garrett had an interception and two tackles.
Beau Back continues to have a sensational sophomore season. He had 5 tackles against Taylorville.
The Bulldog defensive line stymied the Tornadoes offense all night. This will be a group to watch as they are improving each game this season and they are young. Slayton Deck (sophomore), Jayvon Tompkins (freshman), Noah Frank (junior), Hughey Allen (junior), and Luke Buh (freshman) all stepping up in the trenches on defense.
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Jackson Davis was once against perfect on extra points, going 4-4 on a very windy night. At the tail end of the first half, after a Bulldog touchdown, Davis had a squib kick that was recovered by the Bulldogs. Davis is 25-28 on extra points this season.
The Bulldogs will head to Mt. Zion on Friday for another much-anticipated conference matchup with the Braves. The Bulldogs are 2-0 in conference play and Mt. Zion (1-1 in conference) is coming off a loss at Mattoon. We hope Bulldog Nation can show up in numbers in Mt. Zion to cheer on the Bulldogs. The game will be aired on CW23 and most likely Mt. Zionโs YT channel.
Go Bulldogs!
This Week in Bulldog Athletics - Overtime 