There were plenty of things for Morgan County to like, and plenty to clean up after Friday night’s scrimmage against Cherokee Bluff.
The Bulldogs didn’t get the start they wanted, falling behind 14-0 against a physical Class 5A team. But instead of letting the early deficit snowball, Morgan County settled in, found some answers defensively, and gave itself a chance to make a game of it.
Cherokee Bluff eventually took a 21-7 lead into halftime, but the ‘Dogs continued to fight. They scored again in the third quarter before some of the younger players added another touchdown in the fourth.
At the end of the night, Cherokee Bluff held on for a 28-21 victory.
Morgan County head coach Clint Jenkins said the result was less important than what his team could take from the final tuneup before the regular season.
“I thought it was a good night,” Jenkins said. “Obviously, a good opportunity to evaluate our guys and definitely learn some things about ourselves — some good, some bad.”
The Bulldogs finished with 147 yards through three quarters, including 69 passing and 78 rushing. Quarterback Gunner Braswell completed 6 of 10 passes for 58 yards, with Cole Wesley serving as his top target with two catches for 45 yards.
Jenkins said Braswell showed some encouraging signs but still has room to grow as Morgan’s offense continues to come together.
“Gunnar’s still progressing,” Jenkins said. “Like I said, good completion rate. You know, he put the ball on the ground one time. It was a semi-hard snap, but we’ve got to make sure we’re taking care of the football.”
Morgan County had some difficulty keeping drives on track, particularly against Cherokee Bluff’s defensive front. Jenkins acknowledged his Bulldogs moved the ball across midfield several times but weren’t able to finish enough of those possessions.
“We’ve got to be more productive on offense,” he said. “We can’t get off schedule, as far as down and distance. And we did that to ourselves a little bit too much.”
Morgan did, however, show some fight when things weren’t going its way. After falling behind early, the defense made three consecutive stops. That response was one of the biggest positives Jenkins took away from the night.
“We fought back, got some stops, and gave ourselves a chance to get back in the game,” he said.
The Bulldogs also saw some production from their younger players late in the scrimmage. Brayden Young scored on a 15-yard run in the fourth quarter, while Bryce Blasingame connected on a 75-yard touchdown pass to King Hardy.
Jenkins credited Cherokee Bluff for providing the type of test Morgan County needed before opening the season.
“They’re a really good football team,” Jenkins said. “I think they’re going to have a really good year. They were just what I knew they’d be, physical and had some good skill kids.”
The Bulldogs now turn their attention to Friday night’s regular-season opener against Madison County at home. The Red Raiders bring a different challenge with their triple-option offense, an attack Jenkins said will force Morgan County’s defense to be disciplined and patient.
“They’re going to try to sit on the football and run the clock out and shorten the game,” Jenkins said. “You’ve got to take care of the ball, and you can’t have a lot of three-and-outs.”
The Bulldogs and Madison County will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Bill Corry Stadium in Madison.