The McAdams Bulldogs have reeled off three wins in a row over Region 3 opponents over the last three weeks with their most recent victory coming on the road over the Leake County Gators 44-34.
The Gators (3-7, 2-5) got on the board first in just a little over a minute after their initial possession. Martavius Lyles scored on a 22-yard run giving the Gators a quick 6-0 lead after a failed conversion attempt. The Bulldogs came roaring back with about two minutes left in the opening quarter when do-it-all back Mark Stewart scored on a 20-yard run. Kendrioun Boatman punched in the two-point conversion for the Bulldogs giving McAdams an 8-6 lead to end the first quarter.
The Gators wasted little time taking the lead back in the second quarter when Lyles scored once again on another 22-yard run, run good, giving Leake County a 14-8 lead with 11:00 left in the half. Four minutes later, the Gators scored again after an interception led to a two yard Johnny Morgan run, run good, increasing the Leake County lead to 22-8 with 6:47 left in the second quarter.
With about four minutes left in the half, McAdams Bulldog Marquell Tinnie broke free and raced 85 yards for a score, Stewart run, pulling the Bulldogs within six points of the Gators at 22-16. After a lengthy drive, the Gators increased the lead once again on another Morgan touchdown run, this time from one-yard out, run failed, increasing their lead to 28-16 to close the half. The Gators would only score once more in the contest after Lyle’s final touchdown run on the night which came with seven minutes left in the third quarter on a five-yard run. It was all Bulldogs after that.
The Bulldogs got on the board first in the second half when Kristopher Brown found pay dirt on a 15-yard run, run good, pulling the Bulldogs within four of the Gators at 28-24. Brown would score again two minutes later on another long run, this time a 75-yarder, run failed, to take the second lead of the night 30-28. The Gators regained the lead 34-30 three minutes later on Lyles’ final touchdown run of the evening from five-yards out, but it was all Bulldogs after that. Tinnie scored on a five-yard run with 39 seconds remaining in the third quarter, run failed, giving the Bulldogs the 36-34 lead and all the points they would need for the night.
Zoran Erving put the game out of reach with an 80-yard run, Zy’ Tavia Ball run, increasing the Bulldog lead to 44-34 with seven minutes remaining in the contest to secure McAdams’ fourth win of the year.
“I’m proud of the way we have become a family as the year went on,” said McAdams head coach Priest Crockett. “We have improved every week and have really started playing like I felt we would before the season started.”
The Bulldogs end their season on the road against Sebastopol (7-4, 6-1) this Friday night at 7 p.m.
