Team faces Manning Friday with playoff bid at stake

A disastrous start to the second half doomed the Marlboro County Bulldogs Friday night against Camden.  The Bulldogs led 14-10 at intermission but gave up four consecutive touchdowns to their visitors, who locked up the Region 6-AAA crown with the 40-20 win.
“We just have to figure out a way to play four quarters.  In the first half, our guys found out that they could play with Camden but then we just shot ourselves in the foot repeatedly after halftime,” said MCHS head coach Bobby Collins.
The Bulldogs jumped to the early lead with the first possession of the game.  After a long kick-off return by Amri Rivers, Marlboro used seven plays to drive 35 yards.  Running back Devonte Tyson powered the final six yards, dragging Camden tacklers with him.
Andrew Martinez’s extra point gave the home team a 7-0 lead.
Camden answered with a 68-yard drive, capped by a 1-yard run.  A two-point conversion gave the visitors their first lead.
Marlboro gave Camden two additional points when a punt snap sailed over the kicker’s head and out of the back of the endzone for a safety.
The 10-7 score would hold up until late in the second quarter.  The Bulldogs drove from their own 39-yard line to retake the lead.
A 13-yard pass from Timond Byrd to Elijah Chalmers put the Bulldogs back on top, 14-10.
Camden opened the second half with a 65-yard drive for a score.  Quarterback Cauthen Best rushed for a 2-yard touchdown to cap the march.
The Bulldogs fumbled the ensuing kickoff, setting up their visitors at the 40-yard line.  Another quarterback run, this time from 22-yards out, added to the Camden lead.
“Without ever taking an offensive snap, we went from up by four to down by eleven.  That is tough to recover from,” said Collins.
After Marlboro punted the ball back to Camden, the visiting Bulldogs sealed the game with another long drive.  Best scored his third rushing touchdown of the half to put Camden up 33-14.
Marlboro then drove into Camden territory but turned the ball over on an interception.
Camden padded their lead with a 60-yard pass play moments later.
Marlboro County finally got back on the scoreboard in the final minutes of the contest.  A fumble in the Camden backfield was picked up by Marlboro defender Dominique Gandy, who returned the ball 7-yards for the game’s final score.
“After scoring 14 in the first half, our offense didn’t produce any points in the second.  That and the two turnovers after the half make it really difficult to defeat a good team like Camden,” said Collins.
The Bulldogs (2-4 overall, 1-3 in region) will host Manning in the region finale Friday night.  A Marlboro County victory will put the Bulldogs in the playoffs as the region’s fourth-placed team.
A loss would leave Manning, Marlboro and Lake City tied for the playoff bid.  The tie-breaker is the number of points allowed during games against the other teams in the tie.

Schedule update
Following the Manning game, the Bulldogs will have two more weeks in the regular season.  Collins has tentatively arranged for Allendale High School to visit McAlpine Stadium on October 29.
He is still looking for an opponent for October 22.

Scouting the Monarchs
Manning led Lake City 8-6 at the half last week.  That was big news for a team that last won a game in 2019.
However, the Panthers outscored the Monarchs 13-0 after intermission, sending Manning to its eleventh consecutive loss, dating back to November of 2019.
While the team has struggled to find the win column, they have been competitive with everyone except South Florence (65-0 on opening night).
Their rushing attack, the strength of the offense, is led by quarterback Justin Daniels and tailback Jaleel Myers.

Region update
The only thing left to decide is who finishes fourth.  Camden and Crestwood have locked up the top two spots.  Lakewood will finish third.
The Bulldogs, Manning and Lake City are in a tussle for the final playoff spot.  A Marlboro County win Friday night answers that question.

Tee it up
The Bulldogs and Monarchs will kick off at 7:30 at McAlpine Stadium this Friday.