Dunbar Gets the Win for Homecoming
The Bulldogs won 57 to 7, avenging their loss to the Raiders last year, which ended 22 to 21.
Friday night brought the match-up of the Paul Laurence Dunbar Bulldogs against the McCreary Central Raiders. Dunbar played a fast pace game and used speed to their advantage. This win snapped Dunbar’s 16 game losing streak.
Dunbar won the opening coin toss and elected to defer until the second half. Dunbar’s kick to McCreary went into the end zone for a touchback and was placed on McCreary’s own 20 yard line. McCreary had a pass intercepted by senior Nate Thomas. Dunbar’s #6 junior Mitchell Joseph ran in a touchdown with 10:21 left in the first quarter, With the extra point the score was 7 to 0 Dunbar.
McCreary got the ball on offense on their own 21 yard line and went 3 and out. Dunbar got the ball on their own 33 yard line. #18 junior Jamarcus Robinson ran the ball 63 yards for the touchdown. After the PAT went good the score with 7:51 left in the first was 14 to 0 Dunbar. Dunbar tried an onside kick, but it was recovered by the Raiders, the ball was spotted at the 50 yard line.
McCreary was trying to put together a drive when the ball was picked by #3 sophomore Dre Thurston. With 3:47 left in the first quarter #6 Joseph ran in a touchdown.
The Bulldogs decided to go for 2 and converted with a pass from #15 sophomore Jake Smith to Robinson, making the score 22 to 0 Dunbar. McCreary gets the ball back, but is unable to generate any offense and goes 3 and out. With a bad snap on the punt Dunbar was able to get the ball on the McCreary 39 yard line.
Dunbar scored on a 43 yard touchdown pass from #7 Tanner Cox to Robinson. With the point after the score was 29 to 0 with 2:07 left in the first quarter. McCreary goes back on offense and fumbles. The Bulldogs recovery was made by #8 sophomore Frank Illunga. The clock expired on the quarter with the score 36 to 0 Dunbar.
In the second quarter the Raiders still struggled on offense. The Bulldogs seemed to have cooled off on offense. The only touchdown in this quarter came from the Bulldogs defense, when #9 senior Landon Jackson returned a fumble for an 83 yard touchdown. With the PAT the score going into the half was 43 to 0 Dunbar.
Dunbar was set to receive the second half kick and come out on offense, but the offense did not take the field following the kick. #18 Robinson returned the second half kick for a touchdown and with the extra point the score was 50 to 0 Dunbar.
McCreary finally got on the board in the third quarter. With 3:01 left in the third the Raiders QB #5 senior Caleb Cox completed a touchdown pass to #45 Junior Andrew Renfro.
McCreary got the point after making the score at the end of the third 50 to 7 Dunbar.
The fourth quarter was rather uneventful, considering the rest of the game. There was only one touchdown which was ran in for the Bulldogs by #25 senior Alex Bard, making the score 57 to 7 at the end of the game.
The Bulldogs, hyped about the win, dumped Gatorade on to Head Coach Wes Johnson. This was their first win under Johnson.
The Bulldogs go on the road this Friday to face Fredrick Douglass High School.
My name is Mike Marshall and this is my third year on the PLD Lamplighter staff. In my first year, I was a staff reporter and mostly kept up with schedules...