By Don Rowe
Special to The Dispatch
MOOREVILLE – After rushing for just 17 yards in a 21-20 loss to Shannon a week ago, Aberdeen’s backs found Mooreville’s 3-man defensive front more to their liking as they racked up 208 yards on the ground in a 39-0 win here Friday on what was supposed to be the Troopers’ Homecoming which was canceled because of the rain.
“That’s the first time Mooreville has used that defensive formation this year,” said Aberdeen quarterback coach Thomas Clay. “I don’t know why it is, but we practice against a certain formation based on what we see on the game tapes and then our opponents throw something entirely different at us.”
Mooreville’s surprise formation didn’t have the desired effect on the Bulldogs, however, as Donte Carter bulled his way to an even 100 yards and quarterback Tramonte Prather and Cameron Blaylock combined for 81 additional yards.
“Donte, Tramonte and Cameron all ran the ball really well, as did Kemar Sims and Malik Holiday in backup roles.” said head coach Eric Spann. “If the offensive line takes care of business and if the backs hit the holes like they’re supposed to, good things usually happen. Tonight things worked out in our favor.”
Carter, Prather and Blaylock staked the Bulldogs to a 20-0 lead with short touchdown runs in the first half, and then Prather and Braylock both added defensive touchdowns to wrap up the scoring just minutes apart in the fourth quarter.
Friday’s contest marked Aberdeen’s sixth game this season in which either an opposing coach or player had ties to Monroe County, in this case sophomore running back Andrew Peugh, the son of former Bulldog standout and longtime coach Stephen Peugh and the grandson of 1961 AHS Homecoming Queen and elementary school principal Janette Peugh and her late husband, Bill Peugh, who served as the school’s guidance counselor for many years.
Peugh, listed at 5-9 and 180 pounds, came into the game as Mooreville’s top rusher (127 yards), top kick return specialist (96), its second-ranked receiver (106) and his 329 all-purpose yards was tops on the team. Not surprisingly, he didn’t disappoint and was the lone bright spot for the Troopers as he finished with 86 yards rushing on 10 carries, caught one pass for 4 yards, and was credited with a sack and a pass breakup in the end zone on defense.
“He’s a chip off the old block,” said one longtime Aberdeen observer. “He reminds me a lot of his father when he played for the Bulldogs, except he’s got a lot more speed than his old man did.”
The 39-point win over the Troopers pushed Aberdeen a game over .500 at 4-3, ended a two-game losing streak, was the Bulldogs’ first game this season not decided by a touchdown or less, was the first shutout of the year for the defensive unit which outscored their offensive counterparts 18-0 in the second half, was their first win in division play and was the first time in recent memory the Dogs had three successful extra-point kicks.
“Defensively, I can’t complain,” said Spann. “We had three defensive touchdowns and forced seven turnovers, not to mention we pitched a shutout.”
For the most part, Aberdeen’s entire defensive unit stood out as it held Mooreville to 48 yards rushing and 46 passing good for only four first downs – two in each half. More impressively, six of the Troopers’ seven offensive possessions in the second half resulted in either a fumble recovery or a takeaway by Aberdeen defenders.
Mooreville (1-5, 0-1), coming off a 36-0 whitewash by Independence last week, looked to end a two-game losing streak but couldn’t overcome the seven turnovers – three of which were returned for touchdowns.
The Troopers’ first turnover came on a high snap over the head of quarterback Tay Rucker which was recovered at the Mooreville 16-yard line by linebacker C.J. Williams on the first play of the game.
Less than a minute later, Aberdeen owned a 7-0 lead thanks to a 2-yard run by Carter and Blaylock’s PAT kick.
Undaunted, Mooreville reached the Aberdeen 46 on its second possession, but a high snap over quarterback Mitchell Tharpe’s head resulted in an 11-yard loss and then Tharpe was sacked for a 14-yard loss to set up a fourth-down punt.
The Dogs took over on the Mooreville 45 and runs of 9, 16 and 10 yards by Carter set up Blaylock’s 5-yard scoring jaunt a little over half way through the first quarter. Blaylock added the point-after kick to give Aberdeen a 14-0 lead.
The Bulldogs increased their lead to 20-0 on its first possession of the second period on a 2-yard Prather run to cap an 8-play, 64 yard drive which featured a 46-yard Prather to B.J. Williams pass completion.
After a three-and-out forced a Mooreville punt, Aberdeen took over on its own 3-yard line. On first down, a 26-yard Blaylock scamper gave the Dogs some breathing room at the 29. Three plays later, Carter rambled 29 yards to the Troopers’ 45 with a screen pass and fumbled, but Joshua McMillian was Johnny-on-the-spot as he picked up the loose ball and sprinted the final 45 yards for what appeared to be the Bulldogs’ fourth touchdown.
McMillian’s heroics were all for naught, however, as an ineligible man downfield wiped out the score and forced a subsequent Aberdeen punt.
Both teams suffered turnovers on their first possessions of the third quarter, Aberdeen on a blocked punt by Mooreville’s Michael Graham and the Troopers’ on yet another high snap over Tharpe’s head.
After a pair of three-and-outs, one for each team, Aberdeen took advantage of three keepers by Prather totaling 36 yards and drove to the Mooreville 28. Carter then rambled 22 yards, but fumbled the ball away at the 6-yard line and the Troopers recovered it at the 3 with 2:58 left in the third quarter.
Two plays and 35 seconds later, Mooreville returned the favor, only this time the turnover resulted in a touchdown as Aberdeen’s Tyler Young fell on the ball in the end zone to push the Dogs’ advantage to 26-0.
On its ensuing possession, Mooreville coughed the ball up once again, and Tay Carothers’ recovery gave his offensive mates a first at the Troopers’ 45. But the Dogs failed to take advantage of the miscue when a Byron Butler pass slipped through Jerrick Orr’s hands after being tipped by a Mooreville defender in the end zone.
Seconds later, Peugh’s 36-yard scamper gave Mooreville a rare shot at denting the scoreboard, but Prather scooped up a Tharpe fumble at the 25 and motored 75 yards to make it 32-0.
Adding insult to injury three plays later, Blaylock stripped Rucker after a 6-yard gain and dashed 60 yards to the end zone with the purloined pigskin, then added the point after to account for the 39-0 final score.
Incredibly enough, Mooreville turned the ball over one final time on its last possession. Peugh’s 25-yard gainer gave the Troopers a first at the Aberdeen 37, but McMillian preserved the Dogs’ shutout when muscled the ball away from Tanner Gray, who had latched on to a Rucker pass at the 1-yard line.
McMillian returned the ball to the 26 where Mooreville suffered one last indignity – a 15-yard personal foul penalty with just seconds left in the game.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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