Lyons, GA – September 22, 2024 | Head Coach Buddy Martin | Article by Matt Lynn
———-
On Friday night, the No. 1 ranked Toombs County Bulldogs put on a show for their Homecoming crowd, dismantling the Hamilton County Trojans from Jasper, Florida, with a commanding 61-0 victory at the PIT.
The game started with Hamilton County winning the toss and deferring to the second half, giving the Bulldogs the ball first. After a failed onside kick by the Trojans, Toombs began their drive at their own 48-yard line. Just six plays later, senior running back Dabyn Wadley—honored before the game—found the end zone on an 11-yard run, giving the Bulldogs an early 6-0 lead with 9:29 left in the first quarter.
The Red Bullet Defense quickly forced a three-and-out, giving the Bulldogs possession at the Trojans’ 36-yard line. Senior quarterback TJ Stanley wasted no time, connecting with senior wide receiver Mike Polke for 22 yards before finding junior wide receiver Gavin Fletcher for a 14-yard touchdown pass, extending the lead to 12-0 with 8:47 still remaining in the first quarter.
After another quick punt by Hamilton County, the Bulldogs started their next drive at the Trojan 46-yard line. Stanley once again connected with Fletcher, this time for a 31-yard touchdown strike. With Alex Otero’s extra point, the Bulldogs pushed their lead to 19-0 with 5:54 left in the first quarter.
The Red Bullet Defense continued to dominate, forcing another three-and-out. However, a bad snap on the punt set up Toombs at the Trojans’ 10-yard line, where Wadley quickly capitalized, scoring his second touchdown of the night to make it 26-0.
The Bulldogs didn’t slow down in the second quarter, with Polke and sophomore Zaylan Davis adding rushing touchdowns, and Stanley tossing his third touchdown pass of the half, a 38-yard strike to standout freshman Nick Carroll. By halftime, Toombs County held a commanding 47-0 lead.
With the starters resting in the second half and a running clock in place, the younger Bulldogs kept the momentum going. Zay Walton scored on a 5-yard run in the third quarter, and sophomore quarterback Joseph Owens connected with sophomore Dontarrius Mincey on a 9-yard touchdown pass in the fourth, sealing the 61-0 victory.
The Red Bullet Defense was relentless, holding the Trojans to -5 yards of total offense and not allowing a first down until the third quarter.
Next up, the Bulldogs will hit the road to face the Tattnall County Battlecreek Warriors in Reidsville this Friday night at 7:30 PM.
Key Stats:
- TJ Stanley: 10/12, 197 yards, 3 TDs
- Zay Walton: 7 carries, 77 yards, 1 TD
- Mike Polke: 4 receptions, 63 yards to lead the team
Toombs County Bulldogs:
- Passing: 13 completions on 16 attempts for 230 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions.
- Rushing: 24 carries for 257 yards and 5 rushing touchdowns. Longest rush: 47 yards.
- Total Offense: 487 yards.
- Penalties: 6 penalties for 45 yards.
- Turnovers: 1 turnover.
- First Downs: 14 first downs.
- Third Down Conversions: 1/1.
- Fourth Down Conversions: 0.
- Time of Possession: 18 minutes, 40 seconds.
Hamilton County Trojans:
- Passing: 4 completions on 10 attempts for 32 yards, no touchdowns, and 0 interceptions.
- Rushing: 24 carries for -37 yards and 0 touchdowns.
- Total Offense: -5 yards.
- Penalties: 2 penalties for 10 yards.
- Turnovers: 3 turnovers.
- First Downs: 4 first downs.
- Third Down Conversions: 2/10.
- Fourth Down Conversions: 0.
- Time of Possession: 29 minutes, 20 seconds.
