Bulldogs shut out Perry in region opener

When Mary Persons High wanted to get off to a good start against Perry, it chose a lethal weapon: The onside kick.

Truth is, Dee High was “the” lethal weapon, but the onside kick helped the Bulldogs gain and keep momentum in a 31-0 Homecoming spoiler for the visitors Friday at Herb St. John Stadium.

Three times in its first three kicks, Mary Persons tried to get the onside possession. It was only successful on its first, but it turned that into an eight-play, 45-yard scoring drive. High, who finished with 179 yards on 27 carries and got a rest all of the fourth quarter, carried it all eight of those times. It came down to a fourth-and-one, but if you’re going to gamble on an onside kick, why not gamble on a fourth-and-one. The Bulldogs did. He fought his way in.

Perry recovered the next two of Mary Persons’ onside kicks, but it only served to pump up the Bulldogs’ defense as the Panthers could do little with them.

The Bulldogs did run out of steam – Perry also turned it over on downs after failing to convert a fourth-and-three – on a subsequent drive but did add a 21-yard field goal early in the second quarter to make it 10-0.

One interception stopped the Panthers on their next possession and another – one of five picks – on the one following that led to another score.

Mary Persons gathered it in on Perry’s 30. Following a run of seven by High, Jake Johnston found Malik Bledsoe for the score. Bledsoe scored twice more before it was over.

The Bulldogs added their third touchdown – three plays and 50 seconds worth – to open the third quarter and their final a short time later.

The game was the 2-AAAA opener for each. Mary Persons is now 4-1 overall while Perry is 1-4.

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