After a zero-week scrimmage with Dolores, the Dove Creek Bulldogs traveled to Norwood on Friday for their first game of the season.
The Bulldogs fell to Norwood 41-12, but the score was not indicative of how close the game was.
The Bulldogs were able to move the ball offensively, gaining 332 yards of total offense compared with Norwood’s 337. They also drove for 17 first downs and held Norwood to four. But with new players in new positions, the Bulldogs defense allowed the Mavericks to crack off big plays.
“Big plays just killed us,” said Dove Creek head coach Shane Baughman. “We would have them third down and 10 or fourth down and eight – I mean, four different occasions when they scored, we had them third or fourth down and long.”
Dove Creek also suffered from offensive mistakes, giving away two fumbles and two interceptions.
Baughman explained that by getting down early, the Bulldogs were forced to go to the air.
“We threw the ball 35 times,” he said. “Which is not really us. But when we get behind like that, it kind of leaves us no choice but to put the ball in the air.”
Senior quarterback Jordan Ernst passed for 255 yards and rushed for 25, while senior running back Case Baughman rushed for 44 yards and hauled in eight catches for 143 yards. Senior tight end Ricky Adams pulled in 4 grabs for 97 yards.
Dove Creek (0-1) is on the road again next week, traveling to Rangely (1-1) to face a team that won its first game 8-6 and lost 6-0 to Mancos on Friday.
