Rylie Hudson runs the ball after receiving a Jay County kick.
Dalton Clark | For The Times-Post
Jack Miller runs the ball in the Bulldogs’ 28-7 pounding of Jay County, in a non-conference game on Senior Night, Friday, Oct. 6.
Dalton Clark | For The Times-Post
By Brady Extin | For The Times-Post
LAPEL — For the third time in four weeks, the Lapel football team left the field with a win.
Fueled by four defensive turnovers, the Bulldogs (4-4) defeated Jay County (4-4) 28-7 for their fifth straight win in the meeting.
An opening drive score gave Lapel the quick lead. Running back Jack Miller punched in a touchdown from 4 yards out, and Cole Miller added the extra point for the 7-0 lead.
A Chandler Lowes sack stalled the first Jay County drive, but a Lapel fumble on the ensuing possession allowed the Patriots to tie things at 7-7 early in the second quarter.
Following the turnover, Jay County went 47 yards for the score, capped off by a Sean Bailey four-yard touchdown run.
A Devin Craig nine-yard touchdown pass to Nick Witte late in the second quarter gave the Bulldogs back the lead, and they never looked back, outscoring the Patriots 21-0 after the early 7-7 tie.
With Jay County driving in the closing moments of the opening half, Lapel’s Braken Little recovered a fumble to stop the scoring opportunity and maintain the Bulldogs 14-7 lead entering the break.
It took just 57 seconds of second-half play for the Bulldogs to increase their lead.
Isaiah Priest scooped up a Jay County fumble and took it back 40 yards for the touchdown and a 21-7 lead.
After another fumble recovery by Matt Carpenter, Craig hit Logan White for a 37-yard touchdown to cap off the Lapel scoring.
Craig completed 26 of 32 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns.
Witte followed up his record-setting week with 11 catches for 101 yards and a touchdown.
Rylie Hudson hauled in nine passes for 62 yards, and White had two catches for 52 yards and a touchdown.
On the ground, Jack Miller led the Bulldogs with 90 yards and a touchdown.
Isaiah Young led Lapel with 12 tackles; Lowes added 10 tackles, six for a loss, and two sacks; Carpenter had eight tackles, three for a loss, and two sacks; and Little and Karson Kinsinger recorded seven tackles.
Carpenter, Little, Priest and White all recovered Jay County fumbles. Kinsinger, Cole Miller, and Witte caused the four fumbles.
Lapel will be back in action at 7 p.m. tomorrow, Friday, Oct. 13, at home in a sectional preview against Eastern Hancock. The Bulldogs and Royals will meet two straight weeks, with the sectional opener being played on Oct. 20 at Eastern Hancock.