ALBANY, KY-The AP #9-ranked Clay County Bulldogs rolled into their bye week with a 53-0 blowout of Clinton County, KY here last week and

improved to 2-0 on the young season.

The only thing that could slow down the Dawgs was a field lighting issue causing a lengthy delay early in the second quarter, as Clay County scored on their first eight offensive possessions, prior to reserves playing the entire second half.

Senior tailback Joseph Marcom tallied four touchdowns on the night and eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark for the second straight game, and he did it on just five carries.

Senior Alec Kerr also made his season debut after sitting out the opener at Jackson County and added three scores, while his classmate Jimmy Burchett hauled in the final Clay County strike from reserve sophomore quarterback Nate Adams to open the second half.

Throughout the Bulldog scoring onslaught, the Clinton County offense was contained to well below 100 total yards, as the stingy Dawg defense pitched their second-straight shutout.

Senior linebacker Levi Garrett led the way on that side of the ball with five tackles, while his classmate Ricardo McElroy headlined a group of seven other Bulldogs recording double-digit stops with his first-career sack.

Kerr got things started early by running in the first Clay County touchdown from three yards out, before Marcom ripped off three-straight scores on the ground, highlighted by an electric 85-yard jaunt to paydirt.

Senior staring quarterback Keaton Arms helped set up the other two, by first finding Burchett for a 35-yard hookup and then calling his own number for a 23-yard gain following the pause in play for darkness.

Marcom followed the Arms-to-Burchett connection with a six-yard score, before he capped the drive aided by the senior signal-caller’s big run with a four-yard rushing touchdown.

The stars of the night then alternated scores to send their team into the half ahead 47-0, after Garrett and freshman Reece Adams combined to go five for seven on extra point kicks.

Kerr sprung loose for a 27-yard rushing touchdown and Marcom took an Arms screen pass 44 yards into the end zone, before the defending Region 4-A Special Teams Player of the Year scampered 60 yards for one of his signature punt return scores.

The Adams-to-Burchett highlight came on the second play of the third quarter and a Garrett point-after accounted for the final margin, all prior to Clay County’s underclassmen gaining valuable experience down the stretch.

Stats

While the Dawg defense held Clinton County to a total of 72 yards, Clay County amassed 388 total yards on 32 offensive plays, including 239 yards on the ground via 22 carries and 149 yards through the air on six of ten passing by three different quarterbacks.

Arms went four for seven for 102 yards (TD), while Nate Adams (1/1 for 39 yds./TD) and freshman Nolan Adams (1/2 for 8 yds./INT) also completed passes.

Burchett (3/90 yds./TD) was the leading reciever, while Marcom (1/44 yds./TD), freshman Cole Eads (1/8 yds.), and Nate Adams (1/7 yds.) also had catches.

Garrett led the way defensively with five tackles; sophomore Eli Burnette recorded three; and McElroy (Sack), Kerr (FF, PR TD), seniors Hunter Kyle and John Hamilton, sophomore Hayden Adams (TFL), and Nolan Adams each had two.

Marcom, Burchett (INT), Arms (Sack/TFL); juniors Weston Birdwell, Austin Anderson, Logan Jennings, Parker Smith (TFL), and Brayden Allred (INT); Nate Adams; and freshmen Waylon Cherry (INT) and Reece Adams all had one tackle apiece.

Marcom was the leading rusher (5/108 yds./3TDs) and Arms (5/54 yds.), Kerr (3/40 yds./2TDs), Eads (2/20 yds.), Cherry 1/13 yds.), Nate Adams (1/7 yds.), Nolan Adams (4/-3 yds.), and sophomore Worm Smith (1/-3 yds.) also had carries.

Up next

After taking the week off, the Dawgs will return to action Friday, September 9 for their home opener against Cornersville (0-2).

Clay County traveled to Cornersville last year and beat the other Bulldog team 38-12 on the road.

Cornersville lost 31-20 to Richland (1-0) in Week 1 and fell to Forrest by a score of 23-6 last week.

They finished with a record of 9-3 last season, with their other two losses coming to Fayetteville, who finished at 11-2, and 14-1 McKenzie—2021’s Class A runner-up.

Like McKenzie, Cornersville also won silver balls in 2017 and 2018.

See a future HORIZON for more about the Dawgs’ Week 4 opponent, including comments from head coach Bruce Lamb, and tune in to the Horizon Sports Network’s coverage of the game for an interview with him during the Carquest Pregame show starting at 6 p.m., one hour prior to kick off at 7 p.m.

Hear Lamb’s thoughts on Cornersville and much more online at www.dalehollowhorizon.com.