What was predicted to be the game of the week in Southern Illinois turned into a 2nd half blowout as the Carmi-White County Bulldogs defeated the Sesser-Valier Red Devils 44-12 on the road to improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2016.
The game started off the exact way CWC wanted it to, a 6-play drive capped off by a 47-yard touchdown run by Draxton Aud on their opening possession. The Bulldogs led 6-0 with 10:28 to go in the first quarter.
The ensuing Red Devils drive showed some promise. Sesser-Valier drove the ball all the way to the CWC 42 yard line, but on 3rd down Isaac King stepped in front of the Red Devils receiver and took it all the way to the house for a 53-yard interception return touchdown. Carmi would convert the two-point play and lead 14-0 with 7:54 left in the 1st.
Both teams would trade punts and turnovers on downs in their next few drives, but CWC would find the endzone yet again with 6:44 left in the 2nd quarter when King took the handoff and went 78 yards un-touched. The pushed the Bulldog lead to 22-0.
That score would stay the same until the final 15 seconds of the half when Sesser-Valier would finally find the endzone with a 42-yard touchdown run by Dezmond Malone to cut the CWC lead to 22-6 heading to halftime.
The Red Devils got the ball to start the 3rd quarter, and once again put together a nice drive which featured one 4th down conversation. Sesser took it all the way to the Carmi 33 yard line when they faced a 4th & 3, Carmi’s Bryson Moore shot through the offensive line and took down the Red Devil’s quarterback to end the drive. Five plays later, Aud found the endzone for the 2nd time, this time from 4 yards out. CWC led 30-6 with just 4:09 left in the 3rd quarter.
Another Sesser-Valier punt gave the Bulldogs great field possession, which they again turned into points. King would score his 3rd touchdown of the night, this time from 17 yards away to extend the commanding CWC lead to 36-6 with 9:36 to go in the ballgame.
The Bulldogs would then recover the ensuing kickoff after the Red Devils couldn’t pick it up, and seven plays later Warren Legg would sneak it in to put the nail in the coffin. Carmi led 44-6 with five minutes to go.
The Red Devils’ JV offense would find pay-dirt with just 8 seconds left to play, which gave us the final score of 44-12.
It was the first time since 2014 the CWC has taken down Sesser-Valier.
“I’m really proud of the kids’ effort, they played really tough, physical football,” said CWC Head Coach Kurt Simon. “That is the kind of football team that we are, and they showed it tonight.”
The Bulldogs will look to improve to 4-0 for the first time since 2011 when they host Christopher-Zeigler Royalton (0-2) at home next Friday.
Carmi-White County stats (courtesy of Toby Brown, Bryan Weaver, Kevin Brown, Jeremy Nelson):
Isaac King – 21 carries, 206 yards, 2 touchdowns (1 interception return TD)
Draxtyn Aud – 13 carries, 125 yards, 2 touchdowns
Andrew Dodgson – 3 carries, 33 yards
Caleb Seibers – 2 carries, 13 yards
Warren Legg – 2 carries, 4 yards, 1 touchdown
Tackles:
Aud – 7 solo, 5 ast, 1 TFL
King – 2 solo, 1 ast, 1 TFL
Noah Pollard – 7 solo, 1 TFL
Tyler Goemaat – 4 solo
Landon Driscoll – 3 solo, 1 ast
Seibers – 5 solo, 2 TFL
Trayton Vickers – 3 solo
Nate Brown – 1 solo, 2 ast, 1 TFL
Nelson Rider – 1 solo, 2 ast
Eli Bryant – 1 solo
Moore – 2 solo, 3 ast
Kade Stockton – 2 solo
Dodgson – 4 solo
Gavin Peyton – 2 solo
Jaxon Staton – 1 solo
Branton Stockton – 1 solo
Stone Mcghee – 2 solo
Link to WRUL Sports YouTube Broadcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_wnp8PW7M4
