By Jason Bucher
The Bulldog Faithful did not let the hot weather keep them from showing up to cheer on their Bedford Bulldogs in the Taylor County Superbowl Friday night. The Bulldogs did not disappoint as three forced fumbles by the Bedford defense led to an early 24-0 lead as the Bulldogs won by a 44-20 to keep the trophy in Bedford for another year.
Kayden Fletcher and Tucker Supinger set the tone on the first play of the game as they met the Lenox ball carrier in the backfield for a loss of four yards. The Bulldogs forced a Lenox punt and the snap was botched and Lucas Minor pounced on the ball at the Lenox twenty-eight yard line. Eleven yard gains by Nolan Drake and John Deemer behind the blocking of Bradley Davison, Gabe Gray and L. Minor set up the Bulldogs at the Lenox two yard line. Quentin Dalton went under center and plowed his way in behind his line for the first score of the game with 8:29 on the clock. After Dalton scored the two-point conversion the Bulldog faithful enjoyed a 8-0 score. The Bulldog defense continued to set the tone as Deemer delivered a bone-jarring hit resulting in a fumble recovered by Barrick Gladman at the Lenox twenty-eight. Two plays later Drake found Fletcher in the flat on a pass and he streaked to the end zone on a twenty-one yard pass and catch. The conversion by Dalton put the Bulldog sideline in a frenzy up 16-0 with 5:14 in the first quarter. Lenox started their next possession at their own thirty-one yard line, two plays later the defense struck again with a fumble recovery by Tucker Supinger at the thirty-two of Lenox. Three plays later Drake hit Jeffry Knighton on a quick out that he took to the house for a twenty-one yard touchdown reception. Drake scored the conversion and the Bulldogs led 24-0 with 2:45 on the clock.
In the second quarter both teams traded empty possessions before the Bulldogs took over on their own thirty-yard line. The Bulldogs leaned on their offensive line and used eight running plays including a key gain of seventeen yards on 3rd and five to set up first and goal. Dalton then scored on an option play from four yards out for a 30-0 lead with 37.8 seconds. The opponent then threw up a prayer that was answered for a forty-six yard touchdown before the half and made it 30-8 at halftime.
