HS Football Playoffs: Bulldogs take a bite out of the Patriots

No. 5-seed Doddridge County rallies past No. 4-seed Independence Friday night in Coal City

Making the move up to Class AA this year, perennial Class A power Doddridge County raced through the regular season undefeated.

Still questions persisted about the Bulldogs schedule not being tough enough.

The Bulldogs then proceeded to roll past Logan in the opening round of the postseason playoffs.

Still, the questions lingered.

Friday night at George Covey Field in Coal City, Doddridge County put an end to the questions.

Trailing by seven points, early in the third quarter, the No. 5-seed Bulldogs scored 18 unanswered points to knock off No. 4-seed Independence 38-20.

Doddridge County advances to the semifinals and will play the winner of No. 1 seed Frankfort and No. 8-seed Mingo Central who play Saturday.

After both teams traded blows in the first half, the visitors led 20-19 at the break.

Independence roared out of the locker room to take the lead on a three-yard run from Sylas Nelson. The score was set-up by a 41-yard strike from Brock Green to Kaden Bradbury.

The hometown hopes continued to increase when the Bulldogs faked a punt on the next series that was intercepted by the Patriots.

Those hopes were dashed when Independence was called for holding which gave Doddridge a first down.

The Patriots were then hit with a pass interference call, moving the ball to the Indy 21-yard line.

However, the defense stiffened and forced a turnover on downs.

Unfortunately for the home team, the offense sputtered and turnovers plagued the Patriots the remainder of the game.

An interception with 4:04 to play in the third period led to a Brandon Davis one-yard plunge, trimming the deficit to 27-26.

Independence next mistake came on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Facing fourth-and-one, a fumbled snap gave the ball, and the momentum, back to the Bulldogs.

Three minutes later, Doddridge quarterback Brysen Dixon hit Caleb Hall for an eight-yard touchdown pass and a 32-27 lead.

The final dagger came when it looked like Independence was in good shape to regain the lead.

Following a Doddridge County punt and a 20-yard return from Christian Linksweiler, the Bulldogs were hit with a personal foul penalty.

The final step-off gave Independence the ball at Doddridge 38-yard line.

Landon Thomas then stamped out the Patriots fire when he intercepted a pass and raced 65-yards for the final score of the game.

Hall led the Bulldogs with 159 yards on the ground, while Dixon passed for 170. Dixon threw for the two scores and ran for another.

Nelson closed out his Independence football career with 105 yards on 21 carries.

DC: 12 8 6 12 - 38

I: 6 13 8 0 - 27

First quarter

DC: Dixon 12 run (kick no good)

I: Green 1 run (kick blocked)

DC: Jerod Trent 54 pass from Dixon (kick no good)

Second quarter

I: Kaden Bradbury 32 pass from Green (Micah Cuthbert kick)

DC: Lyric Blake 1 run (Dixon rush)

I: Green 1 run (kick no good)

Third quarter

I: Nelson 3 run (Cuthbert pass from Green)

DC: Davis 1 run (pass failed)

Fourth quarter

DC: Hall 8 pass from Dixon (pass incomplete)

DC: Thomas 65 INT (kick no good)

Stats

Rushing: (DC) Blake 11-47-1, Eidel 1-(-1), Hall 13-159, Davis 6-14-1, Dixon 7-(-1)-1; (I) Nelson 21-105-1, Green 11-43-2

Passing: DC: 11-23-170-2, Hall 0-2-0; (I) Green 14-23-146-1-3

Receiving: (DC) Thomas 2-32, Trent 2-57-1, Blake 1-12, DeHaven 4-38, Hall 2-21-1; (I) Viars 7-60, Linksweiler 2-13, Bradbury 3-67-1, Myers 1-0.