Early start costs Bulldogs against Warriors

Union (Dugger) junior Jesse Lipscomb (middle) tries to return a kick while being tackled by North Knox's Anthony Tapia-Aguilar (66) and Nick Goodwin (44) in a sectional football game at Dugger Friday night. (By B.J. Hargis/Greene County Daily World).

DUGGER -- On a night more fit for mud bogging or hog wrestling, the Union (Dugger) football team was more competitive, but the result was the same against North Knox.

The visiting Warriors, who defeated the Bulldogs 46-8 during the regular season, rushed for over 270 yards, scored a special teams touchdown and limited the Bulldogs to just over two yards per play in a 28-8 victory here Friday night in the opening round of Class A Sectional 40.

"We really let them beat us up in the first quarter," Union (Dugger) coach Todd Gambill said of falling behind 14-0. "But I thought we played with a lot more fire and intensity in the second quarter, and even into the third quarter.

"But we did not have a good week of practice. We had four starters out of the line-up tonight because of injuries of discipline. That wasn't North Knox's fault. With small numbers, we have to have everybody at practice."

On a sloppy turf that resembled more of a quagmire than a football field, North Knox (6-4) marched down the field on the opening possession.

Fullback Sam Conrad capped the 77-yard march with a 1-yard run. Conrad toted the pigskin 19 times for 121 yards, leading the Warriors, who had 278 yards on the ground in 45 attempts.

Chris Sargent kicked the first of four point after touchdowns as the Warriors led 7-0 with nine minutes and 54 seconds to play in the first period.

On the first Bulldog possession, the Warriors, who limited Union (Dugger) to 110 total yards on 51 plays, came up with a special teams touchdown.

Jack McKinnon broke through the Bulldog line and blocked a punt by Bulldog junior Jesse Lipscomb. Defensive end Stuart Cobb recovered in the end zone as the Warrior advantage reached 14-0.

"That blocked punt was a big play," said Gambill. "We knew that we couldn't make mistakes and expect to beat a team as good as North Knox."

Lipscomb recovered a Warrior fumble at the Bulldog 1 at the 9:17 mark of the second quarter, keeping North Knox out of the end zone.

But Lipscomb had another punt blocked, which set up a 12-yard drive, capped by a 2-yard run by Derek Chambers (11 carries for 97 yards and two scores). The Warriors led 21-0 at intermission.

"It seemed like we were on that end of the field the entire second quarter," said Gambill. "We came up with a big stop, but gave the ball right back on another blocked kick.

"We also had a interception, but again our defense stepped up and stopped them on downs. If you throw out the first quarter, we played them much better than we did the first time. I was proud of the effort by the kids."

Chambers had 24-yard touchdown in the third quarter for NK.

Union (Dugger) quarterback Trent Collins had a 2-yard rushing TD in the final six minutes. Frank Boyd ran in the two-point conversion to account for all of the Bulldog points.

"North Knox's defense was pretty tough too," said Gambill. "Our score game against their second unit."

Dustin Howard paced the Bulldogs with five receptions for 60 yards.

"Dustin really did a nice job of catching the ball. He had one circus catch on his back that was something special to watch," said Gambill."

Lipscomb had 38 yards rushing on nine carries before being ejected in the second half for throwing football at the North Knox player. This came after the Warriors were called for unsportsmanlike conduct on the same rushing play by Lipscomb.

"I had no problem with them calling a 15-yard penalty on Jesse," said Gambill. "But I disagree with them throwing him out of the game."

North Knox will play at Linton-Stockton at 7 p.m. Friday in the second round of Class A Sectional 40.

WARRIORS 28, BULLDOGS 8

North Knox 14 7 7 0 -- 28

Union (Dugger) 0 0 0 8 -- 8

First quarter

NK -- Sam Conrad 1 run (Chris Sargent kick), 9:54.

NK -- Stuart Cobb recovered blocked punt in end zone (Sargent kick), 8:04.

Second quarter

NK -- Derek Chambers 2 run (Sargent kick), 4:46.

Third quarter

NK -- Chambers 24 run (Sargent kick), 5:42.

Fourth quarter

U -- Trent Collins 2 run (Frank Boyd run), 5:42

NK U

First downs 17 9

Rushes-yards 45-278 27-47

Passing yards 5 63

Total yards 283 110

C-A-I 1-5-0 8-24-1

Punts-avg. 0-0 3-24

Fumbles-lost 3-2 4-0

Penalties-yards 6-62 6-51

Return yards 51 103

Time of possession 20:20 27:40

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- North Knox, Sam Conrad 19-121, Derek Chambers 11-97, Alex Smith 1-44, Nick Goodwin 4-25, Tyler Mundy 2-5, Zach Sutphin 2-(minus 1), Nathan Pesch 2-(minus 3), Dylan Caballero 4-(minus 10). Union (Dugger), Jesse Lipscomb 9-38, Frank Boyd 5-16, Mike Foglesong 5-9, Cody Francis 1-1, Trent Collins 7-(minus 17).

PASSING -- North Knox, Caballero 1-5-0-0 Sutphin 0-1-0, 0. Union (Dugger), Collins 8-23-1-63, Lipscomb 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVING -- North Knox, Zach Sutphin 1-5. Union (Dugger), Howard 5-60, Lipscomb 1-6, Foglesong 1-4, Jake Phegley 1-(minus 4).