The Harrisburg Bulldogs only took 14 seconds to put their first points on the scoreboard and never looked back, cruising to a 55-14 home win over Russellville at home Friday night. The win marked the first for Harrisburg as a member of the new Central State 8 Conference, and improves the Bulldogs’ overall record to 3-4.

The Bulldogs started their first possession on the 46-yard line. Senior quarterback Trace Combs rushed to his right, found a gap, and broke free for a 54-yard touchdown on the game’s first offensive play. The two-point conversion failed, but Harrisburg was on the board with a 6-0 lead.

Russellville started their drive on the 47-yard line but could not get a first down and punted.

The Bulldogs started their next drive on the 28. Facing second and 15, Combs faked a handoff and found a familiar opening, this time for a 77-yard touchdown run. Combs then found Junior wide receiver Rylee Robinson for the two-point conversion and a quick 14-0 lead with 9:12 left in the first quarter.

“Trace had two great runs to start the game, but that happened because our line and backs did a tremendous job blocking on the edges for him,” said Harrisburg coach Brennan Claas.

Russellville was again stopped without a first down by the Harrisburg defense, and the Bulldogs took over on the 42 after the Russellville punt.

“We had a good week of practice, and our younger players are really starting to come around,” Coach Claas said. “Particularly on defense, they are stepping up, challenging older players, and making plays.”

After a short run, junior running back Caleb Sager got the call and rushed up the middle for a 45-yard touchdown. Sager rushed for the two-point conversion, and the Bulldog lead swelled to 22-0 with 5:54 remaining in the quarter.

Russellville responded. They attained first downs on three consecutive runs, starting at the 31 and using their option offense. The Bulldog defense stiffened as the drive continued, but Russellville picked up three-plus yards per carry. On the first play of the second quarter, Russellville found the end zone. The two-point conversion was good, trimming the score to 22-8.

Harrisburg’s offense did not slow down. Starting at the 39 and facing second and nine, Combs ripped off a 23-yard run to get to the 39. Sager literally took the ball from there, piecing together several runs and first downs; the last was a one-yard plunge for a touchdown. The Bulldogs then ran the Swinging Gate for the two-point conversion. Only the center and quarterback were set by the ball, and the rest of the line and several backs were offset to the left. The center hiked the ball directly to junior offensive lineman Victor Shouse, who was set up in the backfield. He ran behind the Bulldog line for the two-point conversion and a 30-8 lead with 9:08 remaining in the half.

“I like to add some new things later in the season to keep our minds fresh, plus to give the opposing team a new look,” Claas said about the two-point conversion play. “Our kids did a great job of executing, and we scored twice on it.”

The Bulldogs then recovered a short kick-off and started another drive on the 50-yard line. This drive featured a 39-yard keeper by Combs, capped by a 22-yard touchdown run by Sager. A Combs pass to Robinson for the two-point conversion increased the Bulldog lead to 38-8 with 6:33 remaining.

Combs then intercepted a deep pass on the ensuing Russellville drive to give the Bulldogs one more possession before halftime. Combs took a shot to the ribs and sat out a few plays to catch his breath, but upon re-entering, threw a 67-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Bryce Ott. The two-point conversion was good, and the Bulldogs owned a commanding 46-8 lead at the half.

“Russellville is a good team. We were fortunate to play two option teams in a row, so last week’s game helped us prepare for this week, and we did a much better job defensively,” Claas added.

The final touchdown for Harrisburg was a 42-yard pass from Combs to Robinson in the third quarter.

The final score for the Bulldogs was by a different path. Having driven down the field and facing a long fourth down, the Bulldogs set up for the field goal. Ott lined up his shot, the snap and hold were good, and the senior defensive back, wide receiver, and now kicker, drilled the 32-yard field goal.  

“Bryce has spent a lot of time working on his kicking after practice, and he’s gotten quite good at it. We had an opportunity and went for it,” Claas explained. “We hadn’t practiced it as a team, but we executed well, and it was a great kick.”

Combs and Sager led the offensive assault. Combs gained 178 yards rushing on nine attempts for two touchdowns. Sager added 158 yards on 20 rushing attempts, tallying three touchdowns. Combs also had 109 yards on two pass completions, both of which went for touchdowns.

Ott had one catch for 67 yards and a touchdown, and Robinson had one for 42 yards and a touchdown.

With the win, Harrisburg improves to 1-2 in the conference, while Russellville drops to 3-4 overall and 1-2 in CS8 play. Harrisburg travels to Fayette (1-6) on Friday evening to take on their rivals.

“Fayette is obviously a close rival of ours. They have good players and are well-coached. It will be a very competitive game, and we need to be ready,” Class said.