Earle wins big amid Homecoming festivities

Bulldogs rout Lee County to the delight of hometown crowd

news@theeveningtimes.com

Earle used a 43-6 blowout against the Lee Trojans to work on its kicking and passing game.

Up 35-0 at the half which automatically triggered the mercy rule for the second half, Coach Albert Coleman aired the ball out more in an effort to get quarterback Rholly Davis tuned up for tougher games against Des Arc and Carlisle later in the season.

“Our running game is already an ‘A,’” Coleman said. “As far as the passing game, that’s what we need to work on. I could have run on them all night and scored 60. But the weak part of this team is passing. So when I get a chance to work on the pass, I’m going to pass.”

The Bulldogs also kicked three extra points rather than try for a two-point conversion to get the team used to kicking the ball, which Coleman said would have helped the team last year in a 28-26 loss to Foreman in overtime.

“Had we just been able to kick a field goal, we would have won,” Coleman said.

“When we get to playing Des Arc, Hazen, and Carlisle down the road and it’s a battle, then we’re going to have to be able to kick and pass the football.”

The Trojans (0-4, 0-1) were overmatched from the get go. Earle got off to a 6-0 start after recovering a fumble on a high snap to Lee quarterback Israel Bloomingburg on their own 44 yard line. Devin Johnson scored on a 53 yard run with 10:04 to play. The PAT kick was blocked.

Lee turned the ball over on downs on its next possession on the Earle 14 yard line but got the ball back on the Earle 38 yard line after Rholly Davis’s pass was intercepted by Bloomingburg. Lee could not capitalize on the miscue however and was forced to punt.

Carim Washington got the drive started with a nine yard run and the Bulldogs moved the ball 31 yards down the field on four successive runs by Johnson. Washington then ran the ball in 18 yards for the touchdown. Davis’s two point conversion pass was caught by David Maples to take a 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Lee started the second quarter on its own 20 yard line but got nowhere. The Trojans faked a punt and got 16 yards on a pass by Bloomingburg to get to their own 36 yard line.

Bloomingburg was then intercepted though by Davis at the Earle 15 yard line.

Earle got some breathing room thanks to a 10 yard run by Washington and a 13 yard run by Johnson.

A face mask penalty by Lee gave the Bulldogs a first-and-10 on the Lee 44 yard line. Johnson gained 22 yards on a run to make it first-and-10 on the Trojan 22, then scored on a 22 yard run. The PAT was good to make it 20-O with 7:57 to play in the half.

Earle got the ball back on the Lee 48 yard line after Bloomingburg’s pass was picked off by Washington.

Jaylon Coopwood moved the ball downfield on runs of 12 and 3 yards, but Earle turned the ball over on downs on the Lee 35 yard line.

The Bulldogs got another chance though when Bloomingburg’s pass attempt was stripped to give Earle a first down on the Trojan 8 yard line with 2:30 to play. Coopwood ran it into the end zone this time and the PAT was good to go up 28-0 with 2:22 to play.

On its next possession, Lee turned the ball over on downs on their own 24 yard line after a fake punt on fourth-and-22 failed to get a first down to give the Bulldogs another prime scoring chance. Elijah Lester scored on a 24 yard run with :53 seconds and the PAT made it 35-0 at the half.

Earle scored again on its first possession of the third with the clock running.

Henry Blackman rand it downfield on a 62 yard run to make it 41-0 with 10:51 to play. Coopwood punched it in for the twopoint conversion to go up 43-0.

Lee scored its only touchdown with 2:00 minutes left to play in the fourth, but failed to convert on a two point attempt to make it 43-6 final.

Coleman, always a tough grader on his team, said the defense was solid and had praise for Davis, who had two big interceptions, and middle linebacker Steve Smith, but only gave the team a C-plus overall.

“We got the win,” Coleman said. “But we didn’t play that well in homecoming. Our execution was off and we just need to play better. Some of those plays should have been touchdowns if we executed them. We have a good running game. We just need to focus on it and try to work on the pass. If we can get our passing game down, then I’ll be happy.”

Speaking of happy, the crowd was not only pleased with the score but also enjoyed the 2019 Homecoming festivities, which included the presentation of the Homecoming Court and a special salute one of the Bulldog greats.

The school honored former quarterback Sylvester Forrest, who led Earle to its only state championship in 1974-75. His brother Michael Forrest was the tailback on the team and later played for the Razorbacks.

The Bulldogs retired Sylvester’s jersey number, 18, during a special presentation. Although he has passed away, school representatives said he was perhaps the greatest athlete to ever come out of Earle.

This week begins a long stint away from the friendly confines of Bulldogs Stadium. Earle (3-1, 1-0) plays its next three games on the road against Clarendon, Marvell, and Hazen and won’t be home again until Friday, Nov 1.