Injuries killed Harrisburg’s chances against Clark County at home last Friday. The Bulldogs fought hard, working with what they had left late in the game. However, they still fell to the Indians 37-0.

The game started as a defensive battle, with both teams working to establish control. The Bulldogs defense faced a tough challenge against Clark County’s offense. While Harrisburg struggled to generate consistent offensive production. 

The Bulldogs were motivated heading into the first plays of the game due to their at-home loss last week. This enthusiasm was evident, as the Bulldog defense came up with a huge sack on the first play of the game, making the Bulldogs look dominant and establish control early.

The Bulldogs’ front line continued to dominate the entirety of the game, forcing the Indians to rely on a pass-heavy offense.

Despite the Bulldogs’ defensive efforts, Clark County had a great defensive themselves, causing a slow but competitive first quarter that ended in a score of 0-0.

To start the second quarter, the Bulldogs created offensive opportunities. Gaining yardage easily, the Bulldogs obtained midfield swiftly. However, two consecutive fourth-down stops by the Indians held the Bulldogs.

One of the Bulldogs’ highlights of Friday’s game was junior quarterback Kayden Weldon and his powerful dual-threat ability. Weldon rushed for 12 carries for 58 yards.

The second quarter was much the same as the first, a defensive showdown. Punts from each team kicked them into the halftime with the game scoreless. 

Coming out of the half the Bulldogs were set to receive. Harrisburg’s offense was marching down the field; however, after rough hits, Weldon was pulled from the game after some injury scares. That left sophomore backup Brody Combs to lead the Bulldogs.

Combs fought hard to stay in the drive, but the Bulldogs had to punt away. The Indians, with their first drive out of halftime, diced the Bulldogs defense with their aerial attack. As Clark County continued to push, they found themselves just out of the red zone, leading to a 23-yard passing touchdown from the Indians with 6:19 left in the third. An unsuccessful two-point attempt held the score to 6-0.

In response, Harrisburg junior running back Hunter Winscott showed up in big moments, rushing for 14 carries with 26 yards.

With the defensive showdown continuing, the Indians obtained the ball once again. Clark County responded to their previous drive by doing the exact same scheme, using a pass heavy offense to push down the field quickly. A 30-yard completion down the field set up Clark County in the red zone for an 11-yard rushing touchdown with 2:07 left in the third. Following the touchdown was a successful two-point attempt, making the score 14-0.

Harrisburg was not out of game. Tucker Lasley was a huge help to the Bulldogs, not only on offense but also special teams, with big blocks for his fellow teammates. But on the ensuing kick return, disaster struck. Winscott was struck hard after receiving the kick, taking him out for the rest of the game. To take Winscott’s place was freshman running back Eziequel Calvo, who showed leadership, discipline, and extreme toughness until the last whistle blew.

Although the Bulldogs weren’t out of the game yet, it was going to be difficult for them to come back. The young Combs and Calvo in the backfield made it difficult on the Clark County defense. As the game progressed, however, the Bulldogs had to punt the ball away with 1:05 left in the third quarter.

The Bulldogs defense needed to step up to stop this Indian momentum. This became even more difficult as yet another player was taken out. Junior Will Cole, a star and cornerstone to the Bulldogs’ defense, left the game in the third quarter.

Combs stepped up not only on offense but also on defense, as he made a huge tackle for loss in the Clark County backfield. But his efforts wouldn’t be enough. The Indians threw an unexpected 60-yard passing touchdown with only seven seconds left in the third quarter. The Indians chose to kick an extra point, which paid off, making the score 21-0 heading into the fourth quarter.

In one of the first plays of the final period, Harrisburg fumbled a snap, and the Indians capitalized by scooping up the ball. The Indians offense got set, and in their first play they scored another rushing touchdown. An unsuccessful extra point made the score 27-0.

The Indians wouldn’t stop there. They forced two more punts from the Bulldogs. On the second, the Bulldogs were on their own 7-yard line. An inaccurate snap sent the ball to their own endzone, resulting in a safety. With 4:18 left in the game, the Bulldogs faced a scoreboard that read 29-0. The Indians received the ball and capitalized for the last score of the game, a 28-yard quarterback keeper and a successful two-point try to make the final score 37-0.

“The injury bug hit us hard tonight,” Harrisburg coach Parker Howard stated after the game. “We had a lot of young guys step up, which was exciting to see and something to look forward to.”

The young core played well for what they were thrown into. Combs passed for 27 yards on 12 attempts, and Calvo rushed for three carries for four yards. There is much to look forward to next week, despite the score. 

Next week the Bulldogs go to Westran to play on their turf. Coach Howard is particularly excited for this game, as he played high school football there. “Friday is going to be fun and a great environment,” said Howard.

Westran, ranked 10^th in the state in Class 1, is 1-1 on the season after falling 37-14 at South Shelby on Friday. The Hornets won their season opener at Van-Far, 32-14.

Kickoff Friday is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Huntsville.​