By Taelor Rye
The Dodge County Indians demolished the Bleckley County Royals 42-7 at home during the Indians’ first game of the 2015 football season.
Dodge’s oldest football rivalry has been with Bleckley, the only opponent competing against Dodge since the high school opened over fifty-seven years ago.
Within the past five football seasons, Bleckley has beaten Dodge four consecutive times. Last year, however, Dodge managed to overcome Bleckley’s prior streak, evidently determined to create one of its own by following up last year’s success with another win.
The Indian defense gets ready to face the Royal offense during the first quarter. (Photo by Kim McCleskey Dowdy)
Dodge dominates Bleckley in first game of season with 42-7 score
Starting the game off, the Indians and Royals went head to head with fierce but fruitless competition for most of the first quarter. However, quarterback Clint Thompson soon completed a pass to J.J. Harrell for a four-yard run, and Harrell scored a touchdown with only 3:05 left on the clock. Peyton Bush successfully earned a point after touchdown (PAT) with a successful kick, making the score 7-0.
The touchdown and PAT became a precursor of what was yet to come in a significant series of touchdowns for Dodge.
With 2:05 left in the first quarter, Dodge continued by scoring another touchdown when Thompson ran for five yards. Again, Bush successfully kicked the ball. The score was 14-0, and the first quarter ended shortly after.
Still determined to clobber Bleckley, the Indians worked well together and managed to score three more touchdowns in the second quarter alone.
The first of the three occurred with 9:52 left on the clock, when Kyle Glover ran for four yards. Bush scored another PAT, and the score became 21-0.
Shortly after, with 6:03 left in the second quarter, Larry Johnson successfully intercepted a play by Bleckley and scored yet another touchdown. Bush continued a streak of his own, accomplishing his goal and achieving another point-winning kick for Dodge.
With a score of 28-0, Dodge saw no reason to slow down. Bleckley failed to do anything significant in the first half of the game, but Dodge County Indian Glover came into possession of the ball and ran it for seven yards, scoring Dodge’s fifth consecutive touchdown thus far. Bush undoubtedly proved his worth to the team by kicking the ball and adding another point to the scoreboard for a mid-game tally of 35-0.
After halftime, the Royals managed to score their only touchdown and PAT of the game. With 9:14 left in the third quarter, Bleckley finally allowed the scorekeeper to change its 0 to a 6 and again to a 7.
As the third quarter was winding down, Dodge saw the opportunity to score one final touchdown as Johnson again successfully intercepted one of Bleckley’s plays. Johnson’s touchdown was succeeded by Bush’s last opportunity for a PAT, and Bush did not fail his teammates.
Because neither team scored in the fourth and final quarter, Dodge triumphed with a score of 42-7.
Over the course of the game, Dodge’s offensive players ran a total of 230 yards, compared to Bleckley’s lesser 137 yards.
The Indians also outrushed the Royals, with 211 rushed yards overshadowing Bleckley’s mere 86.
The Royals did manage to lose more yards from penalties than Dodge lost, however, as Bleckley’s six penalties cost the team 70 yards while Dodge’s seven penalties only cost the Indians 65 yards.
Some of the key players for Dodge include Glover, Demarcus McClinton, Thompson and R.J. Carr. These four players were Dodge’s top rushers. Glover attempted to rush 15 times, covering 71 cumulative yards. McClinton’s six attempts gained the team 55 yards altogether, and Thompson attempted six rushes for a sum of 34 yards. Carr also attempted to rush six times, running 25 yards totally.
Also of note are Dodge’s top receivers, A.J. Lampkin and Harrell. Lampkin received the ball twice and ran 15 yards, and Harrell received the ball once while covering four yards.
Dodge’s defensive players shone as well. Glover boasts three solo tackles and four assists while McClinton has credit for three solo tackles with one assist. Jadin Johnson, too, has three solo tackles to his name in addition to one assist.
The key factor in Dodge’s success, though, lies in Bleckley’s remarkable number of turnovers: seven. Dodge’s ability to reclaim the ball seven times – five fumble recoveries and two interceptions by Johnson – gave the team a possession time of 28:25, but Bleckley only held the ball for 19:30. Five of the seven turnovers occurred in the first half alone, the most action-packed portion of the game.
Ultimately, the formidable Indians performed masterfully and continue to hold bragging rights against their decades-long rival, Bleckley County.
The Indians’ next game takes place on Friday, August 28, at Brantley County.
The touchdown and PAT became a precursor of what was yet to come in a significant series of touchdowns for Dodge.
With 2:05 left in the first quarter, Dodge continued by scoring another touchdown when Thompson ran for five yards. Again, Bush successfully kicked the ball. The score was 14-0, and the first quarter ended shortly after.
Still determined to clobber Bleckley, the Indians worked well together and managed to score three more touchdowns in the second quarter alone.
The first of the three occurred with 9:52 left on the clock, when Kyle Glover ran for four yards. Bush scored another PAT, and the score became 21-0.
Shortly after, with 6:03 left in the second quarter, Larry Johnson successfully intercepted a play by Bleckley and scored yet another touchdown. Bush continued a streak of his own, accomplishing his goal and achieving another point-winning kick for Dodge.
With a score of 28-0, Dodge saw no reason to slow down. Bleckley failed to do anything significant in the first half of the game, but Dodge County Indian Glover came into possession of the ball and ran it for seven yards, scoring Dodge’s fifth consecutive touchdown thus far. Bush undoubtedly proved his worth to the team by kicking the ball and adding another point to the scoreboard for a mid-game tally of 35-0.
After halftime, the Royals managed to score their only touchdown and PAT of the game. With 9:14 left in the third quarter, Bleckley finally allowed the scorekeeper to change its 0 to a 6 and again to a 7.
As the third quarter was winding down, Dodge saw the opportunity to score one final touchdown as Johnson again successfully intercepted one of Bleckley’s plays. Johnson’s touchdown was succeeded by Bush’s last opportunity for a PAT, and Bush did not fail his teammates.
Because neither team scored in the fourth and final quarter, Dodge triumphed with a score of 42-7.
Over the course of the game, Dodge’s offensive players ran a total of 230 yards, compared to Bleckley’s lesser 137 yards.
The Indians also outrushed the Royals, with 211 rushed yards overshadowing Bleckley’s mere 86.
The Royals did manage to lose more yards from penalties than Dodge lost, however, as Bleckley’s six penalties cost the team 70 yards while Dodge’s seven penalties only cost the Indians 65 yards.
Some of the key players for Dodge include Glover, Demarcus McClinton, Thompson and R.J. Carr. These four players were Dodge’s top rushers. Glover attempted to rush 15 times, covering 71 cumulative yards. McClinton’s six attempts gained the team 55 yards altogether, and Thompson attempted six rushes for a sum of 34 yards. Carr also attempted to rush six times, running 25 yards totally.
Also of note are Dodge’s top receivers, A.J. Lampkin and Harrell. Lampkin received the ball twice and ran 15 yards, and Harrell received the ball once while covering four yards.
Dodge’s defensive players shone as well. Glover boasts three solo tackles and four assists while McClinton has credit for three solo tackles with one assist. Jadin Johnson, too, has three solo tackles to his name in addition to one assist.
The key factor in Dodge’s success, though, lies in Bleckley’s remarkable number of turnovers: seven. Dodge’s ability to reclaim the ball seven times – five fumble recoveries and two interceptions by Johnson – gave the team a possession time of 28:25, but Bleckley only held the ball for 19:30. Five of the seven turnovers occurred in the first half alone, the most action-packed portion of the game.
Ultimately, the formidable Indians performed masterfully and continue to hold bragging rights against their decades-long rival, Bleckley County.
The Indians’ next game takes place on Friday, August 28, at Brantley County.
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