Second-half mistakes cost Bulldogs in loss

0

hance to upset a state-ranked, unbeaten team, Lapel knew it had to keep its mistakes minimal.
The Bulldogs were knotted 21-21 at halftime at No. 6 Heritage Christian on Friday, but second-half miscues put an end to their upset hopes in a 48-21 loss to the Eagles.
“First half, we were running the football. Defense got a couple of stops and when we did pass, we were effective,” Lapel coach Tim Miller said. “We came out the second half, and they capitalized on every mistake we had.
“We had four turnovers, missed a field goal and had a chance to score inside the 10-yard line. The second half we shot ourselves in the foot, and we can’t do that against a good team like that.”
Lapel dropped to 5-2 on the season. Heritage Christian is 7-0. The Bulldogs, after playing three straight games on the road, play host to a much-improved Jay County (3-4) squad Friday night.
Against Heritage Christian, Lapel got a strong game from junior running back Tyler Dollar. He rushed 28 times for 199 yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Brennan Stow had 10 carries for 69 yards.
“It’s one of those games that sticks with you,” Miller said. “You look at that score and you get beat by (27) and you know you’re about as dead-even as we can be with them. Kudos to them. They capitalized on our mistakes.
“We have to move on, learn from it and get after it this week.”
Stow went 5 of 14 passing for 39 yards with two interceptions. Rylie Hudson had three receptions for 26 yards.
Defensively, Lapel’s Coleton Kadinger had 15 tackles, including a sack and a blocked field goal.
Jay County, a Class 4A program, should provide a good test.
The Bulldogs have beaten the Patriots convincingly each of the past two seasons. In 2019, Lapel won at home, 28-6. Last year in Portland, Lapel won 43-15.
Miller said he expects a different Jay County club this year under first-year coach Grant Zgunda.
New to Jay County, but hardly new to coaching football, Zgunda spent 18 seasons at Delta High School from 1998-2015, winning 175 games, six sectionals, a regional and a semistate.
“When he got out of coaching he was pretty much thought of as one of the best coaches in the state,” Miller said of Zgunda. “I have zero doubt he will get (Jay County) turned around.
“It’s important this week and next week (against Eastern Hancock) we go into the postseason with two wins and sitting at 7-2. It gives you a little more momentum than any other scenario.”

No posts to display