Clay County opens region play at Jo Byrns on Friday

TOMPKINSVILLE (KY)-For the first time in over 50 years, a Bulldog football team traveled here to play Monroe County, KY last week, and Clay County soldiered through soggy conditions to bring a 21-6 victory back home to Celina.

With rain associated with Hurricane Helene falling throughout, the Dawgs waded their way to their fourth win of the season and will carry a 4-2 mark into their Region 4-A opener Friday at Jo Byrns (2-4).

Clay County has beaten the Red Devils the last five times they’ve met, including a 25-6 victory on John Teeples Field last season.  

Jo Byrns’ losses have come at the hands of McEwen (2-3), Whitwell (5-0), Gordonsville (4-2), and East Robertson (6-0).  They have beaten Ballard Memorial, KY by a score of 38-20 and winless Cheatham County 14-6 last week.

The trip to Cedar Hill will serve as the Dawgs’ final road trip of the regular season, as they return home to finish out their schedule after a bye week.

The final trio of games will feature contests in Celina versus Red Boiling Springs (2-4), Trousdale County (0-5), and Gordonsville.

Tune in to Horizon Sports Network coverage of Friday night’s game at Jo Byrns to hear Bulldog head coach Bruce Lamb’s thoughts on the Red Devils during the H&H Auto and Equipment Parts Pregame show starting at 6 p.m., one hour prior to kick off at 7 p.m.

Coverage can be found online at www.dalehollowhorizon.com or on the Dale Hollow Horizon Facebook page.

Dawgs win

border war

Clay County trudged through wet conditions to keep pace and eventually outscore Monroe County, KY by two touchdowns in a steady rain last Thursday night.

Mother Nature won the first quarter of the contest moved up a day due to worse weather forecast for the night after, as both teams struggled to score early.

Bulldog senior Nate Adams then put Clay County on the board first, when he picked off a Falcon pass and ran it back over 60 yards to paydirt early in the second stanza.

Senior Manny Hernandez, who wasn’t fazed at all by the constant precipitation falling, then split the uprights and the Dawgs led 7-0.

Four minutes later, Monroe County scored on a 20-yard touchdown pass and came up short on a two-point conversion to pull within 7-6 of Clay County.

But that would be the last time they dented the scoreboard, as a Bulldog defense, led by led senior Worm Smith and junior Reece Adams recording a dozen tackles apiece, went on to shut out the Falcons.

The Dawgs did have to block a field goal attempt to carry their one-point advantage into halftime, but that was as close as their opponent got to scoring the rest of the way.

Clay County upped their advantage when they opened the second half with a nine-play, 51-yard scoring drive.

Nate Adams got the Dawgs started with a 23-yard run and his junior brother Nolan Adams ended the advance with a six-yard touchdown catch.  Hernandez was again true and Clay County surged ahead 14-6 midway through the third quarter.

The Dawg defense forced a fumble on Monroe County’s next drive, but Clay County couldn’t convert the gift into points.

Then following a total of three punts in a row, Nate Adams engineered a drive to put the game away.

After senior tailback Ayden Soto picked up a nice gain on the ground, the Bulldog quarterback started clicking.

Nate Adams connected with senior wideout Lance Burchett, Soto, and his brother Nolan again—this time for a 17-yard touchdown.

Hernandez’s third made kick then accounted for the final margin, and Nolan Adams sealed the victory with an interception of his own in the waning minutes.

Bulldog stats

The rainy conditions hampered the Clay County offensive numbers, as several passes normally completed slipped through the hands of receivers and footing was treacherous throughout.

The Dawgs only mustered a total of 201 yards on 35 plays, including 110 rushing yards on 18 carries and 91 passing yards.

Nate Adams accounted for all of the yards through the air on 12 of 27 passing (2TDs).  He had completions to Nolan Adams (6/59 yds./2TDs), Burchett (3/20 yds.), Soto (2/11 yds.), and Reece Adams (1/1 yd.).

Soto was the leading rusher with 10 carries for 67 yards, while Nate Adams (4/22 yds.), Smith (3/11 yds.), and Nolan Adams (1/10 yds.) also contributed on the ground.

Besides their team-leading tackle numbers of 12 each, both Smith (Sack/FF/2TFLs) and Reece Adams (2TFLs) were dominant with big plays on the defensive side of the ball.

Nolan Adams recorded six stops (TFL/INT), senior Hayden Adams made five tackles (TFL/RF), and junior Kolton Brown and Burchett both had four.

Soto and sophomore Roland Holaway (TFL) recorded three tackles each; Nate Adams (INT-TD), senior Kaden Strong, and juniors Cole Eads and Bryson Sharp all had two stops; and senior Eli Burnette made one tackle.