The Gallatin Bulldogs had a mistake-free game Friday night and, at the same time, took advantage of two of rival Hamilton’s four turnovers.
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The Gallatin Bulldogs played mistake free football and at the same time took advantage of 2 of Hamilton’s 4 turnovers in downing the Hornets, 14-0, in Friday night’s first round of Class 1A, District 15. Gallatin’s victory sets up a big showdown this Friday in Bethany against the South Harrison Bulldogs. Both Gallatin and South Harrison enter the match with 1-0 district and 4-1 Grand River Conference marks.
Friday night’s clash played into the hands of the top 2 defenses in the league as neither team’s offense could crack the other’s defense. The Bulldogs scored on a pair of 3-play drives, the first set up by an interception and the second initiated by a fumble recovery. Field position proved to be an important issue as the Bulldogs punted 7 times and Hornets 5 times. Despite holding a 7-0 advantage, the Bulldogs did not pick up a 1st down until the middle of the 2nd quarter.
The Bulldogs rocked the Hornets back on their heels on the game’s opening play from scrimmage. Hamilton quarterback Brandon Grooms dropped back to pass and underthrew his intended receiver. Nathan Henderson plucked the ball out of the air and returned it 14 yards to the Hornet 26-yard line. It appeared Hamilton might force Gallatin to go for a field goal, but Ben Hubbard followed Bulldog blockers for a 28-yard touchdown run on 3rd and 12. Philip Sauls added the extra point less than 2 minutes into the game.
The remainder of the 1st quarter action played out on Gallatin’s side of the field as Hornet punts kept the Bulldogs inside their 30. Hornet forward progress continued to stall around midfield. Neither team went to the air unless facing long 3rd down yardage. Gallatin started a promising drive with 2 minutes left in the 1st half and moved to Hamilton’s 25-yard line before running out of time.
The Bulldogs exited half time with a determined drive that ran afoul of penalty flags as it entered Hornet territory. A holding penalty and motion foul pushed Gallatin back to a 3rd and 31 situation on its own 47. The Bulldogs punted, but Hamilton’s Dustin Shepherd fumbled on the following play and Randy Eaton recovered for the Bulldogs at the Hornet 14. Justin Vyrostek carried for 4 yards and Hubbard added a yard up the middle. On 3rd and 5, Henderson faked a handoff and kept the ball around the right end for the score. Sauls’ kick upped the ante to 14-0.
For the 3rd time in the game, the Hornets started a series with disastrous results. Grooms dropped back to pass, looking for Shepherd out of the backfield, but the ball was underthrown thanks to intense backside pressure from the Bulldog rush. Henderson nabbed his 2nd interception on the Hornet 41, but the Bulldogs failed to take advantage of the gift.
Mistakes continued to pile up for Hamilton and its come-from-behind effort in the 4th period. When Tim Daily fumbled a punt snap it gave Gallatin a starting point on the Hornet 28, but a holding penalty doomed chances of a 1st down. The Hornets drove to Gallatin’s 10-yard line late in the game, but a 1st down pass from Grooms was picked off in the end zone by Hubbard.
The Bulldogs accounted for 213 yards in total offense compared to 172 for the Hornets. Gallatin was penalized 7 times for 60 yards compared to 4 for 35 for Hamilton. Hubbard led the Dogs with 73 yards on 16 carries. Shepherd paced the Hornets with 70 yards on 15 carries.