The disappointing season continued for the Winder-Barrow High School football team last Friday as it made its second trip to Conyers in as many weeks.
While the opponent was different, the final outcome was almost the same as this time the Bulldoggs dropped a 41-14 decision to Salem. For WBHS coach Ben Corley, it was another contest where his team’s defense was not able to slow down the opponent enough to stay in the contest.
“Salem is playing well right now,” Corley said. “We are running into several hot teams right now.”
The Bulldogg coach said the game was similar to the previous week’s contest against Rockdale County in that his team fell in an early hole and was not able to “scramble out of it.”
“We had chances to get off the field defensively,” Corley said. “We just kept coming up a little short.”
Salem benefited from a strong performance from its quarterback Jasijah Smith, who finished with 144 yards rushing and three touchdowns on the ground and threw for another score.
The Seminole defense also applied enough pressure on WBHS quarterback Christian Davila to throw him off his game, sacking the Bulldogg junior six times. Davila managed 118 yards and a touchdown but it would not be enough to keep pace with host Salem.
A poor ground attack also hampered WBHS. Corley said an emphasis for this week going into the final home game of the season against Clarke Central would be to improve the rushing attack.
The Seminoles took an early lead last Friday and never looked back. Trailing 7-0, the WBHS offense appeared set to perhaps tie the game but an interception at the Salem 1-yard line stopped the drive as well as the momentum the team had built.
The Seminoles then marched 99 yards for a 14-0 lead with just over a minute left in the opening quarter. The lead would grow to 21-0 before the Bulldoggs scored on a fumble recovery by Josh Wallace in the endzone.
Salem would push the advantage back to three scores, however, before halftime on a 41-yard run for a 28-7 cushion.
“It was a tough loss,” Corley said. “We will regroup and see what we can do against Clarke Central this week. It will be another big test for our team. Clarke is also playing well and has a great quarterback leading them.”
