’Dogs pound Panthers 42-0

BEACON PHOTO/ROGER GILMORE
Homecoming crowd — This is a look at the packed stands on the west side of Spec Martin Memorial Stadium Friday night at the DeLand Bulldog Homecoming game. There were also many local fans sitting in the eastside stands. The ’Dogs (6-0) defeated the Pine Ridge Panthers, 42-0.

DeLand records fourth shutout

By Roger Gilmore
BEACON SPORTS EDITOR

posted Oct 15, 2009 - 1:31:31pm

Hope most folks were able to read about the sixth-straight victory of the season Friday night for the DeLand Bulldogs over the Pine Ridge Panthers, 42-0, on The West Volusia Beacon Web site Saturday.

As was noted, it capped a banner Homecoming Weekend for DeLand High School, with an outstanding crowd in Spec Martin Memorial Stadium.

Friday at 7 p.m., the ’Dogs will be gunning for their seventh in a row, when the New Smyrna Beach Barracudas come to town. The ’Dogs have blanked four of their six opponents to date, and would like to make it No. 5, at the Community Night game.

That means the regular-season home finale will be Oct. 23, with the Deltona Wolves here for the Battle of the Bone. The final two road games will be at Lake Brantley with the Patriots on Oct. 29 — a Thursday, and following, on Nov. 6, it will be off to Daytona Beach to take on the Mainland Bucs, which looks to be a battle for the district crown, and the right to host the first playoff game.

Slow start

Friday’s game started slowly, as five-straight 5-yard penalties were whistled following the initial play. It was a rather unusual first quarter, as the ’Dogs failed to score.

Late in the period, the ‘Dogs took over a punt on their 18, and moved downfield and into the second stanza for the first score. Shontrelle Johnson tallied from 3 yards out, with 9:02 left in the half, and Hunter Haire converted.

The Panthers were forced to punt, but Paris Hayden broke through and blocked it. Quarterback Nick Ciciarelli quickly tacked on another 6-pointer, when he dashed 12 yards, as Haire made it, 14-0, with still 7:11 before the intermission.

Another turnover followed, when Dramon Grady picked off a Panther pass at his 48. After a short gain, three-straight passes by Ciciarelli for 12 yards, 11 yards and 16 yards resulted in another TD, as Grady grabbed the latter one. Haire got the PAT for a 21-0 lead, with still 5:19 on the clock before the break.

Second half

The team exchanged fumbles to open the second half, before the ’Dogs’ defense held on a fourth down and 4 at the DHS 41. S. Johnson used his change-of-pace special to reel off 54 yards to the Pine Ridge 5. Two plays later, he scored from the 2, and Haire made it, 28-0.

As the third period came to an end, Ciciarelli connected with S. Johnson on a 39-yard scoring toss, and Taylor Church converted for a 35-0 lead.

With the clock running because of the point spread, the ’Dogs still managed another score. With four minutes remaining, Pop Saunders used his gliding running talents to ramble 54 yards, as Church’s PAT ended the scoring.

In recording their fourth shutout, the Bulldog defense applied the pressure, and bottled up the Panther offense for just 10 net yards on the ground, and 40 yards in the air.

It was another big ground-attack night for Saunders, with 170 yards, with S. Johnson accounting for 154 yards. Ciciarelli completed seven of 14 passes with one interception for 140 yards, and a pair of TDs.

It was Homecoming Happiness for the Bulldogs.

— info@beacononlinenews.com

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