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Bulldog senior running back Jay Dorsey (1) breaks off a long run for a touchdown in the fourth quarter last Friday against Monroe. TREY NORRIS/Staff -
Senior inside linebacker Landen Vickers (54) brings down a Golden Tornadoes' ball carrier. TREY NORRIS/Staff -
Davis Strickland (left) and Jae Benford (right) celebrate after the pair hooked up for a touchdown. TREY NORRIS/Staff
Morgan County fought back after a few early mistakes to pull away from Monroe, defeating the Golden Tornadoes 35-14, and punched a ticket to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in 12 years.
The Bulldogs fought hard and battled back, securing the victory with a strong effort in the second half.
“(Monroe) came in and were what we thought. They were fast, physical, and hit us in the mouth,” Morgan County head coach Clint Jenkins said. “We turned it over three times in the first quarter, but we weathered the storm. The defense played well, and we only trailed 7-0 after all that. We felt like we had (been) through the toughest part of (the game) and then got a couple of scores.”
Monroe didn’t take advantage of its three takeaways, only leading 7-0 at the end of the first quarter. However, the Bulldogs turned things around quickly, shifting momentum back in their favor.
In the second quarter, the Bulldogs forced a turnover, and a few plays later, quarterback Davis Strickland fired a touchdown pass to wide receiver Jae Benford, tying the game at 7-7 after the PAT. They then took the lead over Monroe on a quick-scoring possession before the end of the first half. Talan Fuller fired a strike to Dallas Dickerson for a touchdown.
The Golden Tornadoes put together a long drive to start the second half and briefly tied the game, but that was the last time they would score. Morgan County held them to zero points the rest of the night.
The Bulldogs then scored 21 unanswered points, with all three touchdowns coming from running back Jay Dorsey. Their defense also shut down Monroe’s offensive attack.
Jenkins felt after Monroe’s final score, his players settled in and played mistake-free the rest of the night.
“After (Monroe’s) last score, I felt like our defense took over. Offensively, we also got it going on the ground,” Jenkins said. “Jay Dorsey broke a run for about (55) yards, and we finally took it over.”
Dorsey was the spark the offense needed, especially after Fuller left the game with an injury. Dorsey rushed a team-high 126 yards on 26 attempts with three scores in the win.
Fuller completed 2-of-7 passes for 27 yards and a touchdown. Strickland, who finished the game, passed for 71 yards on 5-of-8 attempts with a touchdown.
Dallas Dickerson led the team in receiving with three receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown. Benford had one catch for 21 yards with a score, and Jay Elder also hauled in two passes for 21 yards.
Morgan County held Monroe to 223 yards of total offense. The Golden Tornadoes struggled to move the ball consistently against the Bulldogs’ defense, which forced four turnovers, with three of them being interceptions.
Jenkins explained his kids didn’t feel any pressure but were happy to get the program’s first playoff win since 2012.
“It was another game where we saw some adversity, trailed and didn’t panic,” Jenkins said. “Just proud of our guys. … It felt good to get the playoff monkey off the program’s back because it’s been more than a decade. It was also almost a decade before the last playoff, so doing that was a huge deal for us.”
Next up, No. 1 seed Morgan County (10-1) hosts No. 2 seed Savannah Christian (9-2) on Friday in Madison. Kick-off between the Bulldogs and Raiders at Bill Corry Stadium is set for 7:30 p.m.