Newspaper Page Text
NOVEMBER 12TH
VS FURMAN, 3:00 PM AT MERCER
WE HAVE IT COVERED IF IT'S PLAYED
a
Reporter
IB
November 9, 2022
Dogs host Trojans in Round 1 on Sat.
GAME
VS
Dougherty @ Mary Persons
7:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 12, The Pitt
Teams have never met
Prediction: MP 35 Dougherty 21
Tickets: $8 GoFan app
www.mymcr.net
By Will Davis
publisher@mymcr.net
Mary Persons (7-4,2-2 re
gion) opens the playoffs at
7:30 p.m. on Saturday host
ing the Dougherty County
(8-2) Trojans. MP is among
half the teams in Georgia,
Classes A, AAA, AAAAA
and AAAAAAA, who must
play on Saturday night due
to a referee shortage.
It’s the first playoff game
MP has hosted since 2019.
The Bulldogs got a tough
draw in the Trojans of
Albany. Dougherty started
the season 8-0 and was
ranked in the state Top 10
until they closed the regular
season with losses to pow
erhouses Thomasville and
Carver-Columbus, making
the No. 3 seed. Dougherty
was off last week so they’ll
be rested coming into Dan
Pitts Stadium.
Dougherty is coached
by Johnny Gilbert. MP
coach Brian Nelson said the
Dougherty quarterback is
really good and plays like
a running back. A junior,
Kam Davis (No. 4) is 113
of 186 passing on the year,
with 232 yards per game.
He has 16 TD passes on the
year and only 2 intercep
tions. Davis’ favorite target
is senior receiver Larry
Lane, who averages 87
yards per game receiving.
Senior running back Jacob
Stallworth (No. 22) leads
the rushing attack averag
ing 106 yards rushing per
game.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs
are led by junior running
back Duke Watson, who is
on the cusp of breaking his
own school record for yards
in a season from 2021. He
has 1,594 yards rushing so
far and 16 touchdowns.
Senior quarterback Logan
Hickman is completing
almost 60 percent of his
passes and has 20 touch
downs and only 6 intercep
tions this season.
Defensively, linebackers
Jacobi Jones and Jaise Davis
lead the Bulldogs with 9
tackles per game.
MP and Dougherty did
have one common oppo
nent this year, Columbus.
Both teams won, MP by
49-21 and Dougherty by
54-24.
If the Dogs can win, they
would advance to the Sweet
16 and play the winner of
Salem (Conyers) (2-8,2-3
region) at Calvary Day (9-0,
7-0) in Savannah. Thus, MP
is most likely to have to go
to Savannah to play unbeat
en and No. 1 seed Calvary
Day, a private school, if they
make it to Round 2.
Nelson said he thinks MP
has a good team this year
and said they’re excited to
reach one of their goals,
which is making the play
offs.
“Well play as long as we
can,” said Nelson.
Bulldog rout ends with Pirate mutiny
By Will Davis
publisher™ my mcr.net
The Mary Persons
Bulldogs (7-4, 2-2 region)
throttled Pike County
on Friday night 46-10 to
clinch their first home
playoff game since 2019.
The easy win over the
lowly Pirates (2-8, 0-4)
left MP in a 3-way tie for
second place in Region
2-AAA with Jackson
and Upson. MP won
the tiebreaker on points
and thus gets to host
Doughtery County in the
playoffs on Saturday.
The referees actually
called the game before it
was over on Friday after
fights on the field and in
the stands at Dan Pitts
Stadium made it difficult
to finish.
You might say Pike put
up a bigger fight in the
fourth quarter than they
did in the first three,
when MP dominated.
Najeh Reese
Sophomore Najeh Reese had a
95 yard kickoff return for a touchdown
in the win over Pike County.
Actually the Pirates got
on the board first when
they took the opening
kickoff and drove 12 plays
to the MP 13. The key
came when Jakelin King
shook loose for 28 yards
down the left sideline to
the MP 20. Pike made
a 35-yard field goal and
had their only lead of the
game at 3-0.
On its first possession
the Bulldogs quickly
marched 65 yards on
just 3 plays, with Duke
Watson ripping off runs
of 25 and 35 yards, the
35-yarder starting in the
middle and then outrun
ning the Pike secondary
down the right sideline
for the TD. Kicking for
the injured Ryan Bank
ston, Wylie Smith made
the PAT and the Dogs led
7-3. Despite being under
the weather, Watson had
another strong night with
118 yards and 2 TDs on
just 8 carries.
The Bulldog defense
stiffened and forced a
punt and MP began its
second drive in great field
position at the Pike 42.
The Bulldogs then served
up another heavy dose
of Mr. Watson, who had
runs of 13, 25 and 3 yards
for the score. The PAT was
blocked and MP led 13-3
with 2:24 left in the first.
MP forced Pike to
punt again and started
at midfield. After an MP
penalty, quarterback
Logan Hickman found Ty
Dumas for 45 yards to the
Pike 15. Two plays later
Champ Brantley took it
to the house. The 2-point
conversion failed and MP
led 19-3 with 10:05 left in
the half.
Pike appeared to threat
en on its next drive after a
33 yard run to the MP 32.
But the Bulldog defense
then forced and recovered
See DOGS Page 2B
MARY PERSONS BULLDOGS
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MARY PERSONS BULLDOGS
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Jac Connell
MP BASS TEAM
Congratulations for winning the
Big Fish award at West Point
Lake weighing in at 5.70 lbs.
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Ma
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Nemo Jones fights for the touchdown grab in MP s 46-10 win over Pike County on Friday
night. (Photo/Russ Campbell)