Bulldogs Top War Eagles, 51-20

GLEASON (October 10) — For two straight weeks, the Gleason offense was shut out in a pair of losses. But that offense looked just fine last week as the Bulldogs picked up a 51-20 victory over West Carroll in Region 7-1A play to keep the hopes of a Class 1A playoff bid open.

“We have struggled a little bit the past couple of games and had to find ourselves,” Gleason coach Noah Lampkins said. “We got some good momentum going offensively tonight. They went right down the field and scored on us early, but we responded and stiffened up on defense and played better.”

Gleason (3-5, 2-2 7-1A) has this week off before returning to action on October 24 at Humboldt. West Carroll (1-7, 0-5 7-1A) is off this week before hosting Liberty in Week 10 action.

The Bulldogs have played two quarterbacks and moved pieces around, especially with Brody Sanders out with an injury, but Gage Byington has been consistent for them. Last week, he had seven receptions for 118 yards and two touchdowns and 10 rushes for 128 yards and two touchdowns.

The War Eagles got the ball first and drove 69 yards over 12 plays on the drive to take an 8-0 lead. Mason Taylor scored the opening touchdown on a 36-yard run.

On the following kickoff, Ashton Morgan helped the Bulldogs with a spark as he returned the kickoff to the West Carroll 20-yard line. Two plays later, Bo Tyler Bailey scored from 12 yards out as Gleason tied the game 8-8 late in the first quarter.

After a pair of punts, Gleason took the lead on a 31-yard touchdown pass from Drake Lehmkuhl to Byington for the 16-8 lead.

The Bulldogs’ defense forced a three-and-out, and on the first play from scrimmage, Byington went 51 yards for a touchdown and a 24-8 lead midway through the second quarter.

Gleason’s defense forced another turnover and, with under a minute remaining until halftime, Parker Morgan caught a 26-yard touchdown pass from Bailey for the 30-8 lead.

West Carroll tried for a long ball on the final play of the half, but Ashton Morgan came up with the interception.

Gleason took the second-half kickoff and, four plays later, Byington scored on a 15-yard touchdown run for the 36-8 lead.

The War Eagles responded as Parker Newman connected with Taylor for a 50-yard touchdown pass to cut Gleason’s lead to 36-14, but the Bulldogs went back on the attack and Lehmkuhl connected with Byington for a nine-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter for the 42-14 lead.

That wasn’t Gleason’s last touchdown of the quarter as Parker Morgan intercepted a West Carroll pass and returned it for a touchdown and a 51-14 lead.

Taylor scored his third touchdown of the game on an eight-yard run late in the fourth quarter to cut Gleason’s lead to 51-20.

“We have to find the things that we did well, and congratulate them on that,” Lampkins said. “And then find what we need to clean up, like maintaining our blocks, tackling a little better. We communicated well tonight, but we got tired, so we have to pick that up.”

Gleason finished with 160 rushing yards, while Lehmkuhl and Bailey combined to complete eight of ten passes for 144 yards.

“We are going to enjoy our Fall break (this) week, and we will get ready for Humboldt after that,” Lampkins said.

West Carroll finished with 239 yards of offense, with 60 coming on the pass and 179 on the rush.

Taylor had 139 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries to go with the 50-yard touchdown catch.