By Staff
FIGHTING HARD Clarkdale's Cedric Burns (11) runs up the field in the Bulldogs 17-7 win over Newton High School on Friday night. PHOTO BY CARISA MCCAIN / THE MERIDIAN STAR
By Robby Atkinson / The Meridian Star
Oct. 12, 2002
From the opening kickoff to the final snap of the game the Clarkdale Bulldogs proved that the sour days are over. The Bulldogs rumbled over the Newton Tigers by a final score of 17-7 to put Clarkdale at 2-0 in division play for the first time ever.
After a water cooler shower from the Clarkdale players, head coach Bubba Hathorn had very few words to say.
Newton took the ball to open the game and the Clarkdale defense stepped up in a big way to force a Tiger turnover. Newton tried a shovel pass up the middle on fourth down, but Jake Gray was right there for the interception and gave Clarkdale possession at its own 25 yard line with 9:47 remaining in the first quarter of action. After two unsuccessful runs by Cedric Burns the Bulldogs set up their first score of the night on a pair of brilliant runs by Quinn Moffite.
Moffite broke away for a 33-yard run that was followed by a 41-yard scamper for the touchdown that gave Clarkdale the early lead over Newton. David Prewitt added the PAT and made the score 7-0 with 8:08 left in the first period. After an awful Newton possession that saw three incomplete passes, the Tigers were forced to punt to Clarkdale.
The Bulldogs went straight back to work on offense, but were pinned deep at the eight yard line on an excellent punt by Lucas Poole. Clarkdale wasted no time as Burns brought the Bulldogs back to life on a 34-yard run that put the Bulldogs close to Newton territory with an offside penalty included in the mix.
After a few short gains on the ground the Tigers came up with an enormous defensive stop as Leroy Bowden and Eddie Washington combined for a sack to end the Clarkdale drive. Newton took the ball to open the second quarter and managed a long 36-yard pass from LaDarrian Blaylock to Coshune Bingham to put the Tigers on the board. Poole followed with the extra point and tied the score at 7-7 with 7:54 left until the half.
The Bulldogs showed no fear on their next possession as Clarkdale would enter the end zone once again. Clarkdale manufactured an 11-play, 67-yard drive that was capped off by a three-yard touchdown run by Kevin Matthews to put the Bulldogs back on top 14-7 with 1:40 remaining in the second quarter. Newton tried to mount some kind of offensive drive before the half, but Les Boles collected a sack on defense to run the clock out and send the game in the half with a 14-7 lead in favor of the Bulldogs.
After a scoreless third quarter Clarkdale sealed the deal with 2:25 remaining in the game. Prewitt extended the lead with a 21-yard field goal that was the final exclamation point to the biggest win in recent memory for the Bulldogs by the final score of 17-7.
Matthews led the way in offense for Clarkdale with 22 carries for 101 yards and a touchdown. Moffite followed with five carries on 87 yards and a touchdown in the win for the Bulldogs.
Clarkdale improves to 5-2 on the year and travels to Kemper County next week. Newton fell to 5-2 on the year and returns to action against South Leake in another key divisional showdown.