By Chad W. Smith
The Dodge County Indians football team opened their 2010 season at home against the Appling County Pirates in a non-region match-up last Friday. The Indians jumped out to 14-0 lead after two quarters of play and added a field goal in the third quarter to lead 17-0. The Pirates then came storming back in the last quarter and a half to score 18 unanswered points and overtake Dodge and then hold on for the 18-17 win in the final minutes.
The Indians first score came as Dodge County’s Leonard Floyd ran the opening kick-off back 82 yards for a touchdown. Cole Evans’ point after kick was good and the Indians took the early lead 7-0 at the 11:47 mark of the first quarter. The Pirates and Indians traded punts on the next couple of possessions.
The Indians held the Pirates on a fourth and one on the next possession and took over at their own 23. A couple of good runs by Devon Simmons moved Dodge to their 34. Indian quarterback D’Eric McNair then found Curtis Rushing for a 65 yard touchdown pass and the Indians lead 14-0 after Evans’ kick. Cole Evans attempted a field goal with 1:11 left in the second quarter but failed and the Indians took their 14-0 lead into halftime.
Appling County received the kick off to begin the third quarter and moved the ball to the Dodge 28 on seven plays before Dodge County’s Trent Williams intercepted a Pirate pass and returned to the Appling County 32. Runs by Darren Faison, Leonard Floyd moved the Indians to the Pirate 16 where Cole Evans made a 33 yard field goal to put the Indians up 17-0 with 5:27 left in the third quarter.
The Indians forced Appling to punt on their next possession but then fumbled the ball to the Pirates at the Dodge 42 a few plays later. The Pirates then scored for the first time in the game two plays later on a 45 yard touchdown pass. The PAT was no good and Dodge led 17-6 with 1:04 left in the third. The Indians were forced to punt two plays into the fourth quarter and Appling put together a nine play drive and scored again on a 21 yard touchdown pass with 9:00 left in the game. The two-point conversion was no good and the Indians held on to a 17-12 lead.
The Indians then fumbled the ball back the Pirates on their next possession to give them the ball at the Dodge 30 yard line. Appling County wasted little time as they scored four plays later on a four yard touchdown pass to go up 18-17, after another two-point conversion failed , with 6:16 left in the game.
Dodge then took the ensuing kickoff at their 29 and moved the ball to the Appling 43 before the Pirates took over on downs with less than 3:00 in the game. The Pirates then ran out the clock and preserve their come from behind win.
The Indians had eight first downs on 143 yards rushing and 70 passing yards. Offensive leaders for Dodge were: Darren Faison had 74 yards rushing on nine attempts; Devon Simmons had 47 yards rushing on 11 attempts; Leonard Floyd had 22 yards rushing on four attempts and an 83 yard kick-off return for a touchdown; D’Eric McNair completed two passes in nine attempts for 70 yards including one touchdown pass. Curtis Rushing had a 65 yard touchdown pass; Cole Evans made a 33 yard field goal and kicked two extra points. Defensive leaders for Dodge were: Marques Gordon had six and a half tackles; Dana Northcutt had five and a half tackles; Kayton Johnson and Leonard Floyd each had four and a half tackles; Julious McCoy had four tackles; Marcus Brown and Cameron Howard each had two and half tackles and Walt Turner had two tackles.
The Indians will travel to Toombs County on Friday, September 3 to take on the Bulldogs in another non-region game. Kick-off is set for 7:30 p.m. in Lyons.
