Bulldogs Open Season Defeating A Neighbor From The North

Trion Legends Gable and Blevins were on hand

The 2016 high school football season is underway, and the Trion Bulldogs are 1-0. The Bulldogs defeated the LaFayette Ramblers 43-20 in front of a big crowd at Jack King Stadium. Not all of the Rambler’s reserved seats were filled last Friday night, but that did not stop the faithful Bulldog fans from filling up the “other side.”
The Bulldogs rushed for 313 total yards, and the leading Bulldog rusher was #7 Jarrett Pierce.

Pierce put on a show under the lights at LaFayette. Pierce had nine carries for 176-yards, and scored three of Trion’s six touchdowns. The other Bulldogs to find the end zone were #25 Jake Wells, #8 Tanner Railey, and #34 J.J. Jennings. #74 Elder Morales had a perfect night kicking extra points. The only extra point Morales did not attempt was a bad snap that #14 Evan Walker advanced for a two-point conversion seconds before the first half ended. One of the highlight plays of the game was when Elder Morales kicked off to the Ramblers, and he had to make the tackle to stop the Rambler kickoff run.
#33 Logan Blevins had 11 carries for 44-yards, and #10 Hagen Willingham had three carries for 35-yards. #25 Jake Wells had one touchdown in the second quarter, and finished the night with five carries for 22-yards. #12 Noah DeParlier had four carries for 15-yards, and #22 Braden Johnson finished the night with four carries for 10-yards. #34 J.J. Jennings scored the last Bulldog touchdown in the third quarter on a five-yard run. Another highlight play for the Bulldogs was #14 Evan Walker’s blocked punt.
The Bulldogs finished the game with 15 first downs, 313 yards rushing, 26-yards passing, and 339 total yards to outshine and outlast the Ramblers. The Ramblers put 20-points on the board with only 115 total yards, and what hurt the Bulldogs were the penalties. The Bulldogs had nine penalties for 75-yards. One final highlight for Trion was the fact that the Bulldog offense never turned the football over to the Ramblers. Several younger Bulldogs got experience and playing time against seniors and juniors for the Ramblers. Overall, the Bulldogs left Jack King Stadium with a win, 43 points scored, few injuries, and experience under the Friday night lights for several of the younger Bulldogs.
This Friday night the Bulldogs will host the Wolverines from Dade County. Coach Bradley Warren and the Wolverines are 1-1 after losing 42-28 to Gordon Lee, but winning 20-7 over North Sand Mountain. Coach Bradley Warren is in his ninth year as the Dade County head football coach. Since the Wolverines became Dade County High School in 1994, they have never defeated the Trion Bulldogs in football. The Wolverines were housed at Northwest Georgia High School from 1975 to 1993. The Northwest Georgia Wolverines defeated Trion in 1976 and 1977. Prior to 1975, the Northwest Georgia mountain high school was known as Dade High School. Dade High was founded in 1949, and was in existence under that name until 1975. The only year Dade High defeated Trion in football was in 1970. So, since 1949, the Wolverines have only defeated the Trion Bulldogs three times in football (1970, 1976, and 1977).
Everyone is encouraged to show our band members, cheerleaders, coaches, and players support this Friday at Sam R. McCain Stadium/Clarence Blevins Field. Please make plans to support our Trion Fifty Yard Club and Trion Band Boosters at the concession stands. GO DOGS!
“Friday Night Lights” Scoreboard:
Bowdon – 20 Bremen – 14
Fellowship Christian – 14 Mount Paran – 7
Dade County – 32 North Sand Mountain – 30
Chattooga – 49 Cedar Bluff – 7
SE Whitfield – 42 Gordon Central – 0
NW Whitfield – 54 South Atlanta – 7
Dalton – 28 Calhoun – 13
Model – 22 Sonoraville – 0
Coosa – 41 Coahulla Creek – 6
Mount Zion – 47 Ranburne – 0
Armuchee – 13 LFO – 7
Strong Rock Christian – 31 North Cobb Christian – 21
Trion – 43 LaFayette – 20

By Brad Hayes, Sports Contributor