|
Bulldogs outscore McKenzie, 55-34 Gulley guts Tigers
Anthony Gulley, #2, runs behind block of #24, Dexter Daniels October 5, 2007: The Brantley Bulldogs got back on the winning track Friday night by defeating the McKenzie Tigers in a a big Class 1A Region 2 battle played before an over flowing and spirited crowd at Brantley's Bulldog Stadium. McKenzie brought a perfect 5-0 record into the game and the number 8 ranking in the ASWA top ten in 1A football, but Brantley managed to outscore the explosive Tigers in a much anticipated duel that had more points scored than some basketball games. Anthony Gulley, the Bulldogs outstanding running back, put on a show that the likes of the Great Houdini would have been impressed with his ability to escape from the Tigers of McKenzie. Unofficially, he ran for 246 yards on 16 carries while adding 6 touchdowns to a performance that had the Bulldogs and Tigers fans shaking their head in disbelief. I didn't take long for the fire works to explode as Brantley took the opening kickoff, and with 9:38 on the clock, Gulley scored his first touchdown of the night on a 22 yard run. Britt Barnes kicked his first extra point of the night for a 7-0 Brantley lead. McKenzie wasted little time and answered the Bulldogs score with a 65 yard drive resulting in Elrick Ball's 13 yard run for a TD, but the PAT failed. Brantley led 7-6. Still in the first period at the 5:00 minute mark, Derrick Holley climaxed a Brantley drive following a 85 yard kickoff return by Justin Wright to the 3 yard line. Holley busted over from that point and Barnes kicked again for a 14-6 tally. After both teams failed to make much of a threat in the second quarter, McKenzie faced a fourth down with 3:48 on the clock and elected to punt. To the front and center stepped Gulley to field the punt at the 27 yard line. Following some key blocks by Dexter Daniels and Roy-L Knighten, Gulley, changing gears faster than Dale Earnhart, raced 73 yards on a scoring punt return that had the Bulldog fans screaming with excitement. Brantley missed their only extra point after a 15 yard penalty forced the Dogs to go for 2 points, 20-6. The Bulldogs would add yet another touchdown before the end of the first half when Justin Wright rammed it in the end zone from the 3 yard line with only 56 seconds on the clock. Barnes kicked his third PAT of the half. Brantley 27-6. Both teams tried to catch their breath and get some coaching instructions at half-time on how to stop each others high power offensives. McKenzie received the 2nd half kickoff and promptly marched the length of the field only to have Brantley's Knighten hit a Tiger receiver after a catch on the 2 yard line and the ball rolled freely in the endzone. Justin Wright pounced on the loose pigskin for Brantley to stop the McKenzie scoring opportunity at 9:40 mark. Now with Brantley having the ball on the 20 yard line, Roy-L Knighten made his offensive presences known when he took the ball and raced 70 yards down to the Tigers 7 yard line before being mauled by the Tigers. From there Gulley tacked on another score, and Brantley had what appeared to be a comfortable 34-6 lead. But, there is no comfort level against the Tigers terrific quarterback Sattrick Rudolph. The Tigers drove deep into Brantle's territory, then Rudolph stood tall in the pocket and fired a strike to Chance Davis from 12 yards to cut the margin to 34-12. Gulley responded again for Brantley when he took the ball on the Bulldog's next possession and streaked 43 yards for yet another touchdown. Barnes kicked the point and Brantley had 41-12 lead. Rudolph, leading his team back time and time again, led his Tigers to another score when he hit Calvin Henderson on a 16 yard pass play, and after the 2 point conversion it was Brantley with the lead at 41-20. At this point in the game, Gulley may have made his best run of the night as the Bulldogs were backed up on their own 10 yard line. Gulley took the ball and circled right end looking for some kind of opening. He found a small gap, shifted in high gear, and raced 90 yards for another score. Barnes was true again and it was 48-20. The Tigers came right back when Rudolph ran it in from the 7 yard line. The 2 point attempt was good and the score changed 48-28. Gulley tacked on his sixth touchdown for Brantley with 2:39 on the clock on a 14 yard run. Barnes kicking the point for a 55-28 score. On the ensuing kickoff, McKenzie's Justin Smith fielded a shanked Brantley kick and ran it 52 yards for the final score of the night to make the score 55-34. Defensively, Brantley played hard against the Tigers from McKenzie. Roy-L Knighten, Dexter Daniels, Terrell Burnett, Chase Hall, and Jared Hall were leaders for the Bulldogs defense. Jared Hall had a great night punting the ball. In another important Region 2 game, Brantley, 5-1, travels to Dothan next week to take on the Providence Christian Eagles, 5-1, with a 7:00 pm kick off.
Derrick Holley, #34, pounds over the goal line for a touchdown |
