Bulldogs steamroll Union Grove, 57-12

Two games into last season Queen City posted a 2-0 record.

After two games this season the Bulldogs matched that after taming the Union Grove Lions, 57-12, last Friday night.

The score was a modest 16-6 at halftime but the Bulldogs went off in the third quarter and recorded a 35-6 run which put them up 51-12 going into the final frame.

First Quarter

The Bulldogs received the ball to open up the contest and started out at its own 39.

Jeremiah Drayton picked up three yards on the initial play from scrimmage, and that was followed up by a 42-yard quarterback scramble by sophomore field general Clint Wiley.

QC got as far as the 16-yard line but eventually turned the ball over on downs at the 8:25 mark.

Union Grove took over at the 16 and in a few plays made it to the 37, but penalties and a stout stand by the Bulldogs’ defense put the Lions in punt formation with 6:02 left in the first quarter.

Runs by Drayton, Wiley and Kaden Fincher during the next drive for the Bulldogs kept the Lions’ defense on its heels.

Wiley completed a 15-yard pass to Rylee Green and hit Fincher on a 20-yard screen pass which moved the ball into the redzone.

The first quarter ended with the Bulldogs facing fourth and foal from the 9-yard line.

Second Quarter

For the second consecutive drive QC was knocking on the door of the endzone, but the Lions kept it shut tight as the Bulldogs turned the ball over on downs once again just a few seconds into the second stanza.

Union Grove’s next drive resulted in a punt after a quick three-and-out.

On that drive the Lions ran the ball three times and were stuffed for no gain on each of those plays by the stout QC defense.

Unfortunately the Bulldogs gave the ball right back to the Lions on the punt as the QC returner touched the ball and couldn’t bring it in.

The Lions looked to get on the board first but on the fourth play of the drive Delvon Federick intercepted a pass and QC was back in business at its on 37.

On the first play from scrimmage Drayton bolted 63 yards to paydirt. He also ran in the 2-point try and QC was up 8-0 with 9:04 left in the first half.

Union Grove’s next drive almost ended the same way the prior drive ended as Brayden Wiley almost came down with an interception of his own.

The Lions couldn’t muster up enough for a first down on third-and-24 and had to punt the ball away.

The two teams traded possessions until Wiley connected with Fincher on a 34-yard touchdown play.

Drayton ran in the 2-point play and QC was up 16-0 with 1:53 left in the second frame.

Two big plays and questionable calls against the Bulldogs resulted in Union Grove scoring a touchdown with three seconds left in the first half.

The PAT was no good and QC had a 16-6 lead going into the break.

Third Quarter

QC kicked the ball off to Union Grove to begin the second half and brought out a secret weapon.

Lineman Cedric Davis assumed kicking duties and promptly squibbed a quick kick into a Lions’ player.

The ball caromed off the Lion and QC recovered the loose ball.

Working on the Union Grove side of the 50, Drayton took the first handoff of the drive and rumbled 47 yards for a score.

A spot penalty against QC negated the points and backed the Bulldogs up to the Lions’ 49.

From there Drayton bolted for 30 yards only to have that called back on another spot penalty foul levied against the Bulldogs.

The coaching staff inserted Manasseh Drayton into the game and he took the next handoff 14 yards to the Lions’ 30.

From that spot Wiley hit Quiyon Ellison for a 30- yard TD with 11:18 left in the third quarter.

The 2-point try was no good but QC extended its lead to 22-6.

Kaden Satterfield was one to live in the Union Grove backfield almost the entire game, and made his presence known on the first play of the Lions’ next drive as he sacked the QB.

On the very next play Jeremiah Drayton intercepted a pass at the 9:58 mark, and QC set up at the Lions’ 21-yard line.

Federick took the initial handoff four yards before Wiley hit Fincher for seven yards.

On just the third play of the drive Wiley connected with Ellison on a 10-yard TD with 9:34 left in the third stanza.

Delvon ran in the 2-point try and QC increased its lead to 30-6.

QC’s defense helped the Lions rack up -14 yards in three plays on Union Grove’s next drive including a -10-yard tackle for a loss by Ke’Idie Harrison.

Union Grove punted the ball away and the Bulldogs took over at the Lions’ 35.

The Lions’ defense stood firm and forced QC into a fourth-and-14 situation from the 39 during the next set of plays.

Wiley dropped back on fourth down and hit Green for another score, but the officials waved it off.

Why will never be known and certainly classified with America’s other unsolved mysteries.

Replaying the down Wiley dropped back and hit Ellison for a 39-yard TD with 5:33 left in the quarter.

Wiley also ran in the 2-point try and QC was up 38-6.

QC recovered the ball again on Cedric Davis’ solid kickoff, and the Bulldogs took over at the Lions’ 42.

On the drive Wiley hit Federick for 15 yards and Fincher ran the ball in from 29 yards out on a reverse for another Bulldog TD.

The PAT was no good but QC cushioned its lead at 44-6 with 2:59 left in the third quarter.

Satterfield, Clint Wooding and Mason Stringer caused havoc on the Lions’ next drive and Union Grove went three-and-out rather quickly.

On the punt a QC returner couldn’t handle the ball cleanly and the Lions recovered the ball at the 49- yard line.

In two plays Union Grove scored its second touchdown of the game with 23 seconds left on the clock.

The 2-point try was no good and the scored read 44-12.

On the ensuing kickoff Manasseh Drayton returned the ball 62 yards for a touchdown.

Drayton then kicked the PAT and QC was up 51- 12 with 12 seconds left in the third frame.

Fourth Quarter

Union Grove couldn’t put together a successful drive for the rest of the contest.

Wooding picked up 10 yards on the ground in the final quarter and the final QC score came on a Federick 70-yard TD jaunt.

Just before that Clint Wiley had connected with brother, Brayden Wiley.

The PAT after Federick’s score was no good but QC had a commanding 57-12 lead at that point.

QC would go on to win the game by that score of 57-12.

Clint Wiley was 12-of-16 passing for 188 yards with 4 touchdowns and he rushed for 63 yards.

Jeremiah Drayton had 80 yards with a touchdown, Federick added 76 yards on the ground and had 18 receiving yards, Fincher had 30 yards on the ground with a TD and added 61 receiving yards with a TD, Ellison posted 97 receiving yards with three touchdowns, Manasseh Drayton had a 62-yard kickoff return for a score, Brayden Wiley had seven yards receiving, Wooding 10 and Green 10.

The Bulldogs play its first game at home this Friday night as they battle the Quitman Bulldogs on Homecoming night.

Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.