DCS Comes from Down 24-14 With 3:24 On the Clock

September 19, 2019

Dayton, TN -- Dayton City School and Spring City continued their series of fantastic finishes with a come from behind 28-24 win by DCS on Thursday night on Gabbert Field in downtown Dayton Tennessee. Coming into the game, Spring City was unbeaten at 6-0 and Dayton City had a couple of recent losses, with key players nursing injuries, but you can throw those circumstances out the window in what has been a great two games over the last two seasons.

Spring City and Dayton City both failed to move the ball on first try but then Spring City was driving when the ball came loose and Dawson Mickel alertly jumped on the loose ball on the 18 yard line to stop the drive. Ethan Davis had big run of 28 yards to get Bees into Bulldogs territory at the 48 yard line. Davis bounced outside and ran down the sidelines to the 12 yard line later in the drive on a 30 yard run. With 5:40 Davis found the end zone from the 5 yard line to give Bees early lead. With a little bit of confusion on the two point conversion, Bee fans though conversion was good but refs huddled and called Davis down before breaking the plane of the end zone and score remained 6-0.

Bulldog fans were teased on kickoff when Jaxon Reed almost took the kickoff return to the house but did setup the Bulldogs at the 40 yard line of DCS. Bulldogs then unveiled their new weapon Kade Houston, newly off the injured list and he had several good runs as the Bulldogs slowly moved toward a tying score. His last run took the ball to the 1 yard line from the 10 yard line. Hunter Crowe found the end zone on the next play for the tie at 6-6. Crowe tacked on the 2 point conversion for 8-6 lead

Rex Pendergrass gave Bees good field position at the 43 of the Bees on the kickoff return. Davis had nice run before Bryce Dupre found Sam Stumbo for a 15 yard gain to the 36 yard line of Bulldogs. After nice 9 yard run took the Bees to the 23, Bryce Dupre went to the air again and found Rex Pendergrass at the 20 and he outrun defenders to the end zone for Bee's second touchdown of the game with 50 seconds left in first half. This time Bryce Dupre faked handoff to right and rolled left and used a Stumbo block to find the end zone for 14-8 DCS lead.

Jaxon Reed had another good kickoff return to setup Bulldogs at 50 with 50 seconds remaining in half. Bulldogs would have to operate quickly to find a second touchdown by halftime. After Crowe run took Bulldogs into DCS territory, Jaxon Reed found Latron Alloway for long pass play down to the 20. Bulldogs ran out of time and it was DCS with the energy and an excited DCS exited the field with the 14-8 lead.

Second half started well for Bulldogs as Hunter Crowe picked up kickoff return fumble at the DCS 15 yard line. Alloway had nice run to give Bulldogs first and goal inside the five yard line and then Hunter Crowe waltzed into end zone for the tying touchdown and he added the 2 point conversion for the slim 16-14 lead with around 6 minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter.

Dayton City began next drive at their own 34 yard line. Sweatbee faithful had a tense moment when Ethan Davis limped off the field after losing his helment after a five yard run ended on collision. Bulldog defense held and the Sweatbee punt settled on the Bulldog 32 yard line.

Bulldogs picked up key 4th and 4 when Latron Alloway dropped back in punt formation but ran instead and picked up first for Bulldogs at their own 46 yard line. A chop block set the Bulldogs back their just outside their own 30 yard line. Kade Houston got a nice chunk of yardage up the 48, but Bulldogs were still looking at 2nd and 8, but offsides made it 2 and 3. Bulldogs parlayed an offsides penalty into a first down at the DCS 40 yard line. Both crowds were making some noise and it looked like a late touchdown could put the Bulldogs in very good position as they were eating up clock on the drive. Crowe had hard run, dragging Bees along the way down to the 15 for the first down. From there Latron Alloway took the ball down to the 3 yard line. Hunter Crowe found the end zone for the third time in the game and Latron Alloway added the conversion with 3:26 left to play to give Bulldogs a 24-14 lead.

Now it would be time for the trademark of this Dayton City School team the special play touchdown and Ethan Davis took the ball at the rolling kickoff at the 20 yard line he had a wall of six bees ready to block. He moved toward the middle of the field and slipped between two of his own players and there was two men to beat. He juked as one defender went by and a bit of good luck two defenders collided and the field was clear for the 80 yard touchdown and the DCS crowd went wild. Bulldogs stood firm on the conversion attempt to keep the Bulldog lead at 24-20.

Bulldogs picked up the onside kick attempt at the 47 to setup the final 3:12 of the game. After a couple of big stops the ball rolled out of the pile and Aiden McClendon jumped on the fumble to setup the fantastic finish at the DCS 49 yard line. The crowd would not have to wait long for the fireworks as Ethan Davis took the first and only handoff of the series and made another of his classic jukes and went from running down the right sideline to traversing over to the visitors sideline and he outraced Bulldog defenders for the go-a-head touchdown. Dupre converted the 2 point extra point to put the score at 28-24 with 1:20 showing on the scoreboard. Could the Bees stop the Bulldogs for the win.

Jaxon Reed had another good return of the Emmanuel Martinez kick to the Bulldog 46 yard line. Bulldogs earned a first down at the Bee 45 and then Christian Moreno sliced through the line to sack the quarterback as clock expired and Dayton City and Spring City had treated the fans to another thriller.

Both coaches praised the other teams and both alluded to the fact these eighth graders could be playing together next year a the High School and that Rhea County was getting some very talented players.