The Harrisburg Bulldogs used a dominating ground performance to earn their first win of the 2024 football season, a 28-6 home victory over Clark County at home. Junior running back Caleb Sager led the way with 206 yards on 27 attempts and two touchdowns. With the win, Harrisburg evened their record at 1-1.

Harrisburg took the ball to start the game. On their first play, Sager ripped off a long run, but a Clark County defender punched the ball out, forcing a fumble. 

Clark County faced an early third-and-long on the possession, and courtesy of a defensive interference penalty, their drive continued. Another long pass completion set up Clark’s touchdown, giving the Indians the lead, 6-0, with five minutes left in the first quarter.

After several ineffective drives by both teams, Harrisburg began its final drive of the half on the Bulldogs’ own 20-yard line with 1:46 left. A combination of runs and passes moved the ball down the field. With two seconds ticks on the clock, senior quarterback Trace Combs found junior Rylee Robinson for a 17-yard touchdown pass. The two-point conversion was good, giving Harrisburg an 8-6 lead.

The Bulldogs dominated the third quarter with their strong run game. Their first drive of the second half featured Sager running behind a solid offensive line as the Bulldogs drove the field. An offensive pass interference call denied the home team a touchdown. Facing a fourth-and-10, Combs found Robinson for a first down. Moments later, Sager ran for a four-yard touchdown. With the successful two-point conversion, Harrisburg led 16-6 with 4:28 left in the third quarter.

“Caleb recovered nicely from that early fumble and had a great game. Our team stuck to the game plan, and I’m proud of that,” said Harrisburg coach Brennan Claas. “Our guys up front were also a big part of Caleb’s success. They were determined to win.”

After a short Clark County possession, the Bulldogs again took the ball. This time, Sager ended the drive with a long touchdown run, giving Harrisburg a commanding 22-6 lead with only 51 seconds remaining in the quarter.

“When we’re confident, we’re pretty good,” Claas said. “Tonight, we did a great job of overcoming early adversity and finding a way to win. I’m excited for what we can do moving forward. 

Claas credited his team’s defensive coordinator, Blake Logan, with a great defensive game plan. “Our defense only allowed one touchdown against a tough Class 2 school.”

Harrisburg’s defense held firm against Clark County, as the visitors never threatened to score for the remainder of the game. A 28-yard quarterback-keeper by Combs ended the scoring on the night, giving Harrisburg a 28-6 win. 

For Coach Claas, it also came against his former team. He served as an assistant coach on the Clark County football team before getting his first head coaching job at Harrisburg. “It’s always good to compete against people you know well,” he said. “It was great to see kids I used to coach and kids who were younger but are now playing high school ball. Coach [Ethan] Allen and his staff do a great job. It was a fun game.”

Offensively, the Bulldogs gained 409 total yards to Clark County’s 251. Harrisburg dominated most in the running game, holding a 309 to 91-yard advantage

Combs went 8-for-13 for 102 yards, one touchdown, with one interception. Adding to Sager’s massive rushing night, Combs also had 48 yards on seven attempts and one score. Through the air, Robinson had three receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown. Senior wide receiver Bryce Ott also had three receptions for 50 yards.

Junior linebacker Victor Shouse led the Bulldogs in tackles and forced a fumble. Robinson and junior defensive lineman Bender Waltrip had several tackles for loss.

Next week will bring a new challenge as Harrisburg, now 1-1 overall, makes the three-hour trip to Scotland County for their first road game against a former Lewis & Clark Conference opponent. Coach Claas is eager for the test. “They will be strong and physical; they always are. We have faced two Class 2 teams, and these games should have prepared us nicely for whatever we face moving forward.”

Harrisburg travels to Scotland County  next week.

The Bulldogs return home  Sept. 20 for another game against a former L&C foe when they host Salisbury. The familiarity doesn’t end at old rivalries. Former Harrisburg assistant coach Zech Bowman is the Panthers’ newest head coach. So far, he is 2-2 on the season, and Salisbury has received votes in the first two Class 1 state polls.

Now a founding member of the new Central State 8, Harrisburg will get its first taste of the new conference at Tipton on September 27.