Not done — Bulldogs ride momentum into second round

Published 8:00 pm Monday, November 18, 2019

Pat Donahue/Times-EnterpriseThomasville quarterback Ronnie Baker (4) prepares to throw the eventual game-winning touchdown pass to Rico Johnson in the Buldlogs' 31-26 victory over Dodge County.

THOMASVILLE — Once the Thomasville Bulldogs reclaimed their grip on momentum Friday night as it shifted from sideline to sideline, they didn’t relinquish it.

With that in hand, and with making few glaring errors, they seized upon coach Zach Grage’s formula for winning football games in beating Dodge County 31-26 Friday night in their Class AA first-round state playoff game. It was also Thomasville’s fifth consecutive win of the season.

“Who makes the least mistakes and who has the momentum,” he said. “It’s that simple.”

The visiting Indians had taken the upper hand in a brief and pivotal stretch of the third quarter. Daylon Gordon, who had three touchdowns on the night, ripped off a 93-yard scamper to bring the Indians within 17-14. Less than two minutes later, Dodge County turned Thomasville’s only turnover of the night into a scoop and score — and the lead.

When the Thomasville Bulldogs needed plays to be made Friday night, it was when “our dudes have to be dudes,” coach Grage put it.

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Junior Rico Johnson caught three touchdown passes, including two in the second half, and senior Payten Singletary secured the win with a game-clinching fourth down sack in the final minute to send the Bulldogs into the second round.

Johnson’s second TD grab of the game, a 42-yard strike from Ronnie Baker, came just four plays after Dodge’s defensive score. The quick answer not only gave Thomasville back the momentum, it put the Bulldogs back in front to stay.

“It was not only that we scored but how we scored, with Rico making a big catch and Ronnie making a big throw,” Grage said. “It’s huge for our crowd.”

Johnson’s final TD, a leaping grab over a Dodge defender in the end zone, gave Thomasville (7-4) breathing room at 31-20. Gordon, though, struck one more time, racing for a 57-yard touchdown run with 5:29 to play in the game. 

The Bulldogs, though, held on the two-point try, keeping Dodge County from getting within a field goal.

“Not getting the two-point play for them, that was huge,” Grage said. “That changed the whole dynamic. That changes momentum.”

Dodge County amassed just 104 yards of offense aside from Gordon’s two lengthy touchdown runs. Thomasville, meanwhile, chewed up nearly six minutes off the clock behind its young running backs, Ricky Fulton and Malik Harper, in the fourth quarter as they combined for 73 yards on 12 carries in the final 8:53.

“Our biggest thing is getting ahead of the sticks on first down,” Grage said. “That’s what makes us successful.”

After the first two drives ended in punts, the Bulldogs went 10 plays to set up Hurston Waldrep’s 24-yard field goal. The defense held Dodge County to just seven plays in the first quarter — but the final one was Gordon’s 7-yard score, set up by his 81-yard kickoff return.

“I was really proud of our kids and proud of our plan,” Grage said. “Our execution at the beginning, especially, was not sharp.”

But in the end, the Bulldogs ran six and a half minutes off the clock and pinned the Indians at their own 16-yard line to start their final series.

Thomasville will host Pepperell, a 27-7 winner over Heard County, in the second round.

Editor Pat Donahue can be reached at (229) 226-2400 ext. 1806.