The El Dorado Springs Bulldogs utilized a strong second half performance to defeat the Buffalo Bisons 28-20 in the third game of the 2018 season.

The Bisons began the night at their own 30-yard line after receiving the opening kickoff. Buffalo put together a thirteen-play drive that culminated with a 9-yard touchdown run to put the Bisons ahead 7-0.

ElDo started their first drive of the night from their own 37-yard line. The Bulldogs used a 10-play drive that was finished with a 29-yard touchdown run by Tanner Witt, where he broke two tackles before breaking into the open field. Witt added the 2-point conversion to put ElDo up 8-7. Shortly after the ensuing kickoff, the first quarter came to an end.

In the second quarter, Buffalo put together a 13-play drive where they faced 4th and 5 from the 25-yard line, when the Bison QB managed to find an open receiver in the endzone to take a 14-8 lead. Neither team managed to sustain a drive on the next two possessions but with two minutes remaining, the Bulldogs drove down to the Buffalo 30-yard line before the 1st half came to an end.

The Bulldogs opened the 2nd half with a 17-yard run by Witt, where he dragged a Bison defender for seven yards before Witt was forced out of bounds. Three plays later, Trey Babcock scored on a 35-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 14-14.

On the next Buffalo drive, Preston Robison came up with a big interception for the Bulldogs, but neither offense managed to get into the endzone again before the 3rd quarter closed with the score still tied at 14.

ElDo started the 4th quarter with the ball at their own 25-yard line. Three plays into the drive, Babcock hit Gaven Morgan on a 27-yard pass to get into Bison territory. Two plays after that, Morgan had a 20-yard run down to the 12-yard line. Five plays later, Witt was in the endzone to put the Bulldogs ahead in the game. Babcock ran in the 2-point conversion to give ElDo the 22-14 lead.

Buffalo responded with a 10-play scoring drive to make it a 22-20 game. On the ensuing two-point conversion attempt, the Bulldog defense held strong to keep ElDo in the lead.

With 2:08 left in the game, Buffalo attempted an onside kick, but the ball went out of bounds giving ElDo the ball at the 50-yard line. Four plays later, Witt ran into the end zone from 17 yards out putting the Bulldogs up 28-20 with 1:14 left in the game.

The Bisons went to a passing offense and managed to drive down to the ElDo 35-yard line before Derek Hayes picked off a pass with 6 seconds remaining in the game. The Bulldog offense came on to take a knee and finish the 28-20 victory.

Head Coach Derek Scroggins said, “I am incredibly impressed with how our team played on both sides of the ball. I felt that this was another excellent defensive performance and that this was the first time that multiple phases of our offense started to come together. We played very physical and we did a great job controlling the line of scrimmage. This is a very talented Buffalo team and our boys played very disciplined, leading us to victory. Our attitude and effort were impeccable and I think we took a big step in the right direction.”

The Bulldogs (2-1) next travel to Cole Camp (3-0) on Friday night at 7 p.m. to take on the Blue Birds in another Ozark Mountain Conference  contest.

FIRST TD FOR THE DOGS  – Senior Bulldog Running Back Tanner Witt (15), on the opening drive for his team in the first quarter, proved too much for the Bison defense to handle when he broke two tackles then headed for the end zone on a 29 yard touchdown run. On the two-point conversion attempt, he crossed the goal line to put the Bulldogs up 8-7.

 

THE OTHER SLIPPERY RUNNING BACK – Bulldog Sophomore Running Back Gaven Morgan (18) saved his heroics for the 4th quarter with the game tied at 14 when he caught a Trey Babcock pass for 27 yards to get into Bison territory. Two plays later (shown here)  he slipped through the line for a 20 yard gallop down to the 12 yard line. Five plays later Witt scored and Babcock ran in the two-point conversion to put the Bulldogs up 22-14.

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