Published: September 06, 2008 01:03 am            

Bulldogs score win in HHC opener

New Albany bests Jennings County, 28-20

NORTH VERNON — The New Albany football team might not have played the prettiest Hoosier Hills Conference opener Friday night at Jennings County.

But when you find a way to win in league play, that’s all that matters.

The Bulldogs pulled out to a 21-point lead and held off a Panther rally to prevail 28-20. 

“We had to get this win,” New Albany head coach Kevin Roth said. “You have to get that first conference game. You don’t want to start off in the hole, especially with two of them coming at home. This road win was big.

“This was a pivotal game for us. It’s hard for us to play up here. It just is and I can’t tell you why.”

The Bulldogs (2-1) hit paydirt on the game’s first drive. Sophomore running back LaRonn Davis ended the nine-play, 70-yard series with a 22-yard touchdown run, putting New Albany up 7-0.

The Dogs’ second TD came on their first possession of the second quarter. New Albany needed just four plays to reach the end zone, as senior tailback Melvin Posey capped off the drive with a 6-yard TD run to make the score 14-0. The score was set up by a 22-yard Posey reception and a 13-yard run by quarterback Graham Brown.

In the meantime, the Bulldog defense was keeping the Panther offense at bay. In the first half, Jennings County (0-3, 0-1 HHC) collected only 37 total yards and two first downs.

With 5:27 left in the third quarter, things looked bleak for Jennings. Posey scored his second TD of the night on a 5-yard run, extending the Bulldog lead to 21-0.

But the Panthers refused to go away.

With 56 seconds remaining in the third, Jennings quarterback Kevin Collinsworth, who replaced starter Skylar Furgason, threw a 23-yard TD pass to tight end Blake Hatton. The Panthers missed the extra-point kick as they trailed 21-6.

Jennings then recovered an onside kick, giving it the ball at the New Albany 49-yard line. Four plays later, senior Zack Hicks caught a Collinsworth toss on a post pattern and ran 37 yards to the end zone with 11:07 left in regulation. Senior Darian Castetter caught a Collinsworth pass for the two-point conversion, making the score 21-14.

The Bulldogs immediately answered.

New Albany started its next drive on the Jennings 47 when Pierre Blackmon returned a kickoff 29 yards and the Panthers were called for a 15-yard facemask penalty. After the Bulldogs committed a false-start penalty, Brown hit split end Brett Martin for a 52-yard TD pass to extend their lead to 28-14.

“That was crucial. Brett has done that a couple of times this year,” Roth said. “Brett’s touchdown ignited (the Bulldogs). These kids have answered the challenge all year. That was huge.”

Jennings County’s Iyan Bass had a 20-yard TD run with 8:36 remaining, cutting its deficit to eight points. Hatton caught a 2-point conversion pass, but it was negated by an ineligible man downfield penalty. Jennings then missed an extra-point kick, keeping the score at 28-20.

The Panthers got the ball two more times, but each drive ended with an interception by New Albany junior Spencer Ferguson.

Brown was 10-of-17 passing for 191 yards and two interceptions. Posey was the Dogs’ leading rusher with 94 yards on 19 carries.

Roth lauded the play of his defense, which held the Panthers to 231 total yards and forced three turnovers. Jennings only had nine first downs.

“I think the defense is much, much improved,” Roth said. “I think we’re bigger, stronger and faster. You can’t look at the second half tonight because they kind of got on their heels, and all of a sudden Jennings County found their team in the second half. But I think our defense has been one of our biggest attributes this year against Providence, against Castle and the first half tonight. I think they’ve been outstanding.”

New Albany will host Bedford North Lawrence next Friday and then entertain Class 4A No. 1 Columbus East on Friday, Sept. 19.



NEW ALBANY 7 7 7 7—28

JENNINGS CO. 0 0 6 14—20



1st quarter

N — Davis 22 run (Litzelswope kick), 9:03.

2nd quarter

N — Posey 6 run (Litzelswope kick), 10:31.

3rd quarter

N — Posey 5 run (Litzelswope kick), 5:27.

J — Hatton 23 pass from Collinsworth (kick failed), :56.

4th quarter

J — Hicks 37 pass from Collinsworth (Castetter pass from Collinsworth), 11:07.

N — Martin 52 pass from Brown (Litzelswope kick), 10:34.

J — I. Bass 20 run (kick failed), 8:36.

        

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