Dodge trounces Northeast for 36-13 victory

By David Bush
Last Friday night, the 4-0 Dodge County Indians rolled into Macon to face a scrappy region foe, the Northeast Raiders. The much-improved Raiders, 3-1 on the year, would be no pushover.
Dodge would win the toss and defer to the second half. The Indians kicked the ball off, and covered #19 Peyton Bush’s kick well. The Raiders ran the ball out to their own 20. The defense of Dodge wasted no time showing the Raiders who was going to dominate this game. In three plays, the Raiders managed to lose eight yards. #5 Tyler Montford stuffed a run for no gain, and #41 Cade Cranford sacked the quarterback for an eight-yard loss. The secondary would cover the Northeast receivers, resulting in an incomplete pass and forcing a punt. Northeast lined up to punt the ball, and the Indians blocked the kick; the ball bounced up into #18 Jamal Mahan’s arms, who trotted in for six points. #19 Bush’s point after was good, and the Indians were up 7-0 with only one minute, 45 seconds played in the first quarter.
After a Dodge kickoff, Northeast started their second possession at their own 26-yard line.
Again, the Dodge defense shut down the Raider offense, and Northeast would have to punt to Dodge. Dodge managed a short drive before having to punt the ball themselves.
#19 Bush pinned the Raiders down at their own 10-yard line with a 36-yard punt. The Indian defense came up big again, holding the Raiders to three and out forcing another punt.
Dodge got the ball back at the Northeast 40-yard line. The offense began a ten-play drive that included a nice 16-yard pass reception by #20 KeAnthony Woods at the one-yard line, and resulted in a #11 Nick Cummings touchdown from one yard out.
The point after by #19 Bush was good, and with 11 minutes, 21 seconds to go in the second quarter, Dodge led 14-0.
The Indians would kick the ball off to the Raiders, who would move the ball from their own 24-yard line to their own 45-yard line before having to punt back to Dodge.
The Indians, starting at their own 30-yard line, struggled on the possession, and on third down and 16, a fake punt was called. #27 Erin Pitts carried the ball around the left end, and sprinted untouched 76 yards for the third Dodge County touchdown. The extra point was good, and the score improved to 21-0 Dodge with six minutes, 33 seconds to go in the first half.
After the kickoff, Northeast would fumble the ball to Dodge on first down. Northeast didn’t give up and got the ball back by intercepting a Dodge County pass in the end zone. On second and ten, the Raiders attempted a pass, but #20 Woods came up with a beautiful interception for Dodge at the Northeast 44-yard line. Nine plays later, #2 RJ Carr found the end zone from three yards out. Dodge was successful on a two-point conversion, #16 Noah Cummings to #27 Pitts, and the score was now 29-0 with 31 seconds left in the half.
Northeast took the ensuing kickoff out to their own 30-yard line. The Raiders, desperate for points, ran a play around the end and got out of bounds to stop the clock. Then, on second and nine, they tried to throw a pass down the middle, but #3 Jared Cannon would come up with a big interception that not only stopped the Raiders from scoring, but also got the ball close enough to give the Indians one more chance to score before the half. After a screen pass to #2 Carr, #19 Bush was called on to attempt a 40-yard field goal. The kick was wide left, and the Indians would have to settle for a 29-0 lead at the half.
To start the second half, Northeast was to kick the ball off to Dodge.
The Raiders, however, attempted an onside kick and recovered it (even though it looked to me like it was touched by the kicking team before it went 10 yards). So, Northeast got the ball at midfield to start the second half.
The Raiders were pretty fired up about their little surprise kick and put together a ten play, 50-yard drive that resulted in their first touchdown of the night. The point after was good, and the lead was cut to 29-7 with six minutes, 12 seconds to go in the third quarter.
On the following kickoff, Northeast would try the onside kick again, but sure-handed #66 Ty Bellflower pounced on it to give Dodge first and ten at midfield.
On third and one from the 41-yard line, #2 Carr got loose and outran everyone to the end zone for a 41-yard touchdown run. #19 Bush’s point after was good, and the score was now 36-7 Dodge, with four minutes, 55 seconds still left in the third quarter.
#19 Bush kicked the ball back off to the Raiders, and they returned the ball back to their own 42-yard line. That would be as close as they got, as the Dodge defense bowed up and sent the Northeast offense backwards. On fourth and 18, the Raiders had to punt the ball back to the Indians.
Dodge got the ball back at their own 17-yard line and