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DILLON—Kevin Roller’s Dillon Wildcats rolled over the Marlboro County Bulldogs Friday night, 35-12, giving the Bulldogs their first loss of the season.
Before Friday’s game, the Bulldogs were bullies on defense, allowing an average of 14.38 points per game. And at the half, it looked as if that trend would continue.
But the Wildcats pulled away in the second half scoring 28 points.
Dillon scored the first points of the game with a rushing touchdown in the second quarter. The Bulldogs answered back with a blocked field goal that was returned 70 yards for a touchdown, but the Bulldogs failed to convert the two-point conversion. The Bulldogs were down 6-7 at the half.
The Wildcats struck first again in the second half, rushing for another touchdown. With two minutes left in the third, Quarterback Nydarion Blackwell rushed seven yards for the only offensive touchdown in the game, but another failed two-point conversion ending the Bulldogs scoring for the night.
The fourth quarter opened with the Wildcats picking Blackwell off and setting up a rushing touchdown, bringing the score to 12-21.
With about two minutes left in the game, the Bulldogs fumbled the ball and Dillon returned it for a 62-yard touchdown. Then the Wildcats picked the Bulldogs off with a minute to go in the fourth quarter that was returned for the final touchdown of the night.
The Wildcats remain unbeaten at home and improve to 6-2 and 2-1 in the region.
The Bulldogs are 6-1 and 2-1 in the region as they host Loris Friday night. Statistically, the Lions and the Bulldogs match up pretty evenly. Both teams have high scoring offenses and defenses that traditionally stop the run.