"Dogs Explode to Win Key Game"
East Palestine - Prior to the game, Columbiana Coach Spaite said he would stick to his pre-season prediction that East Palestine was the team to beat. On Friday night the Bulldogs put an exclamation point on that statement as they destroyed the Columbiana Clippers 41-7. In the process, the Dogs have put a bullseye on their back.
The Bulldogs started the game off with a 6 play drive on their first possession to score on a 7-yard run by Ryan Dilworth. Then in the second quarter, the Dogs would push their advantage with a 9 play drive, covering 98 yards with Shane Peterson running in for a 10-yard touchdown. The PAT gave the Dogs a 14-0 with 6:26 left in the half.
On the Clippers next possession, the ultimate outcome of the game was decided. On the Clippers first play from scrimmage, they would fumble the ball with the Bulldogs cornerback Shane Ergresi recovering the ball at the Clippers 24-yard line. On the very next play Peterson would hit Egresi on a 24-yard pass to score a touchdown that would put the Dogs up 20-0.
The Clippers would attempt to put points on the scoreboard just as the half would close, put the Dogs would turn them away. The Clippers would drive 51-yards on 10 plays to drive to the Dogs 5-yard line with under ten seconds left in the half. After a false start penalty, the Clippers would attempt a 27-yard field goal attempt, but the kick would sail wide left as the teams went to the locker room with the Bulldogs up 20-0.
To start the second half, East Palestine's junior running back Corey Barnhouse would score on two long touchdown runs to put the game away. With 8:49 left in the third quarter, Barnhouse would fly through the Clippers defense for a 69-yard touchdown run. Columbiana would answer with a drive of their own as Nick Roncone would ramble in for a 5-yard touchdown run. However, on the next offensive play for the Bulldogs, Barnhouse would again race past would-be Clipper tacklers on his way to a 59-yard touchdown run. The extra point would put the Dogs up 34-7 with 3:14 left in the third quarter.
The Bulldogs would add a Peterson to Austin Cope 33-yard touchdown pass with 10:43 left in the game to wrap up the scoring in the game. After that point, both coaches empty the benches with reserves as the Bulldogs improved to 4-0 while the Clippers fall to 3-1. Barnhouse would finish with 129 yards rushing on the night, while Peterson rushed for 82-yards and was 6 of 7 passing for 118 yards and 2 touchdowns. Nick Roncone would lead the Clippers with 156 yards rushing and scored the lone Clipper touchdown.
The East Palestine Bulldogs made a huge statement tonight with a very convincing 41-7 win over a very, very good Columbiana team. With the win the Bulldogs may have identified themselves as the team to beat in the Upper Tier. The Wellsville Tigers may have made a very similar statement with a sound 20-0 win against backyard rival and the talented Southern Indians.
Crestview continued to show that they are going to have something to say about the ITCL Upper Tier as they beat United 39-0, and Mineral Ridge also showed they must be considered after a 20-14 win over South Range. Springfield wallopped Lisbon 46-7 to push the Tigers record to 3-1 on the season.
In the Lower Tier, Leetonia made sure that no one forgets about them with an impressive 42-14 win over the Jackson-Milton Blue Jays. Western Reserve rolled over Sebring 54-13, while the other Devils of McDonald crushed the Lowellville Rockets 50-6 as both of the Devil teams are now a perfect 4-0 on the season.