Bethany, MO: The following article has been corrected to show the location of the Bulldogs’ next football game.
South Harrison improved its record to 2-1 after wearing down Marceline to take a convincing 42-7 victory over the visiting Tigers in a non-conference game Friday night at a sweltering Memorial Stadium.
The Bulldogs will travel across Highway 136 to play Scotland County at Memphis, Missouri, with kickoff at 7 p.m. The Tigers are off to a hot start winning their first three games against Louisiana, Highland and beating Harrisburg last week by a score of 40-30.
Marceline, with a roster nearly twice as large as the Bulldogs, appeared to have the horses to prevail on a night when the temperature was 92 at kickoff. But it was the Bulldogs who had the stamina to overcome Marceline’s opening touchdown on a pass to a wide-open Cody Rogers, giving the visitors a 7-0 lead with 5:47 left in the first quarter.
South Harrison got off to a slow start on offense, but the Bulldogs’ defense began making plays after Marceline’s go-ahead touchdown. Ruger Johnson stuck Rogers for a short gain after the Tigers got good field position inside SHS territory. Crae Coffey made another stop on Rogers just as the first quarter expired, forcing the Tigers to kick the ball back to the Bulldogs.
South Harrison was unable to move the ball, but Jett Cornett came up with a big punt to the Tiger 10.
Coffey and Joel McCall made a good play on Rogers to force Marceline into a quick kick on fourth down, giving the Bulldogs possession at their own 21. That’s when SHS began to take control beginning with a carry by Coffey for 15 yards. Camden Eckerson then caught a pass from Cornett and broke to the 46-yard line. Mason Galloway then carried the ball to the 6, setting up a touchdown by Coffey. Cornett’s kick tied the score 7-7 with 4:49 left in the first half.
The Tigers got a break on a long kick return followed by a facemask penalty against the Bulldogs on the tackle. The defense tightened up on a solid tackle by Gage Barclay. On the next play, sophomore Case Morgan stepped in to intercept a pass. Cornett found Khale Taggart open for a pass to the 34, and Coffey fought his way to the Tiger 44.
With the clock winding down before halftime, Coffey continued punishing the Tiger defense. Cornett broke tackles to get the ball to the 16 and then hit Taggart on a pass inside the 1-yard line. Coffey went in for a touchdown, but the ball was called back for a false start with 3 seconds left in the half. But Galloway put the Bulldogs out in front when he carried the ball in for a touchdown. Cornett’s kick made the score 14-7 at the half.
Marceline began showing signs of fatigue in the third quarter, and the Bulldogs’ McCall and Ethan Smith came up with a sack followed by a play by Coffey on a fourth down Tiger pass attempt, with the Bulldogs getting possession at the 48.
The Bulldogs began a relentless drive down the field that was capped by another Coffey touchdown, followed by Cornett’s kick that made the Bulldogs’ lead 21-7 with 7:17 left in the third quarter.
The defense continued its strong play on a sack of the quarterback by Barclay and a pass interception by Cornett, giving the Bulldogs possession at the 36. South Harrison drove into the red zone on runs by Galloway and Coffey. South Harrison put more points on the board on another touchdown by Coffey, extending the Bulldogs’ lead to 28-7.
Marceline tried to come back on passes, but Johnson came up with a hit to stop the Tigers on a fourth-and-five attempt.
Coffey broke the game open on a run to the Marceline 31. Galloway took the ball to the 10, and the Bulldogs moved to the 1-yard line on two carries by Coffey and Galloway. That set up Coffey for his fourth touchdown, extending the lead to 35-7.
Substitutes began taking control of the game, highlighted by long gainers by junior Case Morgan who also got the Bulldogs’ final touchdown carry with 29 seconds left in the game. Junior Leon Jincks kicked the extra point extending the final margin to 35 points.
Scores from last Friday:
Brookfield 52, Highland 6; Gallatin 41, Polo 14; Maysville 22, Milan 18; Putnam County 41, Trenton 0; South Harrison 42, Marceline 7; Pattonsburg 74, North Andrew 42.
About the Author
