Bulldogs edge Skyline 28-24

The El Dorado Springs Bulldogs edged out the Skyline Tigers 28-24 on Friday night to improve to 7-1 on the season.

The Tigers started the evening on offense and after the first three plays had only managed to gain one yard, leading to a punt on 4th down.

On the Bulldogs first possession, ElDo faced a 4th and 3 situation and elected to punt. On the Trey Babcock punt, the ball traveled thirty yards down field before bouncing off the Skyline returner and was recovered by the Bulldogs. Four plays later, Babcock made his way into the endzone from 26 yards out to give ElDo a 6-0 lead.

Skyline answered with a 10-play drive to take an 8-6 advantage.

Neither team managed to move the ball on their next possessions as the first quarter came to an end.

In the second quarter, the Bulldogs pieced together an eight-play 78-yard drive that was highlighted by a Haiden Overton 19-yard run and capped off by a Babcock 16-yard touchdown run, giving the Bulldogs the 12-8 edge.

On the ensuing Tiger drive, Shelby McKinney forced the Skyline QB to fumble the ball, which Dagan McIntire recovered. Ten plays later, Brayden Housh kicked a field goal as time expired in the half to give ElDo a 15-8 lead.

Overton got things going in the second half as he ran for a 65-yard touchdown on the first play. Housh added the PAT to put the Bulldogs up 22-8.

The Tigers responded with a scoring drive of their own to make it a 22-16 ballgame.

Both teams then traded punts and the Bulldogs took over at their own 10-yard line late in the third quarter. Keilan Jaques opened the drive with a hard-fought 13-yard run. Three plays later, Gaven Morgan broke free for a 63-yard touchdown run to put ElDo up 28-16.

In the fourth quarter, the Bulldog defense held strong and forced a turnover on downs. On offense, Morgan took the ball for a 42-yard gain on the first play of the drive but the offense failed to accomplish much else and gave the ball back to Skyline.

The Tigers then went on a 14-play scoring drive to cut the score to 28-24.

The ensuing onside kick was covered by the ElDo hands team at the Bulldog 48-yard line. After a 6-play drive, the Bulldogs chose to punt the ball on 4th down to pin the Tigers deep  in their own territory and let the defense seal the game. The Bulldog D responded well as Preston Robison intercepted the Tiger pass on the fifth play of the drive, letting the ElDo offense take a knee in victory formation to end the game.

Coach Scroggins said, “I am incredibly proud of how our boys continue to improve each week, and continue to play with outstanding attitude and effort. Offensively, Skyline tried to keep Tanner Witt and Shelby McKinney from beating them and those two did a great job blocking and allowing Babcock, Morgan and Overton to step up and make plays. Defensively, Dagan McIntire had a huge night, as did the rest of the D-Line. We ended up being plus 3 in the turnover battle tonight and I believe that was one of the big differences between our two teams.”

The Bulldogs (7-1) next travel to Adrian (7-1) on Friday night at 7pm to close out the regular season.

QB UP THE MIDDLE – In the Skyline game, Bulldog QB Trey Babcock made his presence felt rushing 11 times for 70 yards and two touchdowns. Gaven Morgan led the team with 142 yards and one TD on 13 carries. Haiden Overton carried the ball five time for 88 yards and a TD. Skyline was keying on Tanner Witt and held him to 45 yards on 14 attempts and no TDs. The team gained 359 yards on the night.

FORCED FUMBLE – In the second quarter of the game with Skyline, Shelby McKinney spent some quality time in the Tiger back field forcing the QB to fumble which Dagan McIntire recovered.  Just before the half, Brayden Housh, with Clayton Collins holding, kicked a field goal to bring the Bulldog lead to 15 – 8.