ALAMO – GMC Prep started the season on the wrong side of things Friday night. Wheeler County defeated the Bulldogs of Milledgeville 42-14 in the 2022 opener.
A lot went wrong for GMC Prep at Wheeler County. The Bulldogs of Alamo returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, which quickly gave them momentum.
“You never want that to happen when you open up the season,” GMC Bulldogs’ head coach Lee Coleman said. “However, I had two guys unblocked that couldn’t make a play, but fast forward we (come back on the field) and score in three plays.”
Coleman’s Bulldogs scored quickly as quarterback senior quarterback Tyler Saunders connected with wide receiver Caleb Bush for a long scoring play. That was a strong response by GMC, which tied the contest up at seven after a made extra point.
GMC had several chances to make a stop on several late-down situations during the next possession but was unable to as Wheeler County eventually found the end zone. That gave the home Bulldogs a 14-7 advantage at the start of the second quarter.
Regardless, GMC responded by marching right down the field for a touchdown as junior running back Jonathan Roach reached the end zone on a 30-yard rush attempt. The two Bulldog squads were tied 14-14 early on in the second period of action.
"We made the defensive stop we needed (following that score) on the next possession,” Coleman said. “We got the ball (back) and things went to just a whole different level.”
The score was notched 14-all at the 6:40 mark of the second quarter, which is when Wheeler County’s defense turned up the pressure. GMC turned the ball over three times on a trio of consecutive possessions that the Bulldogs from Wheeler County took full advantage of.
Wheeler County would add one more touchdown before the half to lead 42-14 entering the intermission. Neither team would score in the final two quarters as the game was won in the second period. The loss was GMC’s first regular-season defeat since 2020.
“We looked up and it was 35-14,” Coleman said. “You can’t end up winning a football game with that happening.”
The Bulldogs of GMC had one of the state’s best defenses - in any GHSA classification - last season. However, they gave up six touchdowns in their season opener.
“I hate to lose the first game, but for this team, I think we needed it,” Coleman said. “The reason being is because we needed a little piece of humble pie because we won 10 games last year. We’ve got a lot of guys returning, and we felt like we didn’t have to work because we were good. And that’s not who we are. That’s not our identity.”
GMC Prep will face former region rival ACE Charter on Friday at home. The kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.