the Bulldogs and Dragons both traded possessions in the first quarter with defenses hanging tough, at one point the Bulldogs looking at a 1st and 40 situation when penalties racked up three times in a row on holding calls. Ultimately they would punt the ball away on 4th and 33. 

That setup a Dragons trick play for the first score of the night and Pickens would add another touchdown in the first half to take a lead, but not before the Bulldogs responded. 

After getting back into a running rhythm behind several Bulldogs pushing the Pickens defense backward, Patrick Gardner was the first to get into the end zone and put Cedartown on the board. The Bulldogs would head into halftime down 14-13.

The second half was a completely different story. CJ Washington, Harlem Diamond and Xavier Hargrove all put up touchdowns, and Pickens turned the ball over five times during the second half – three of those on fumbles and two interceptions, one for a pick six – that ultimately put the Bulldogs in command through the rest of the game.

Ultimately, the Bulldogs came away with a 52-21 win after Pickens got another touchdown on the board late, but it was too late to make a difference. Cedartown put up 543 yards of offense on the night on 8 touchdowns, 503 of their all-purpose yards on the ground. They did give up 

Cedartown moves to 3-2 on the season with their first region win over Pickens, and is the third win in a row after dropping their openers to Rome and Rockmart. 

The Bulldogs have one more home game left, but are back on the road for the next two weeks against Northwest Whitfield next Friday, and Ridgeland on October 30. They get a break on November 6 before they return home to face Central Carrollton. 

Their upcoming game against the Bruins pits the Bulldogs against a team that is 4-1 and coming off a lost on Friday night to Central Carroll.

Takeaways from the game

Don’t count anyone out in the region just yet. As Abrams would say to the team after the game, half of the region went 1-0 on the night, and the other half went 0-1. Game 2 of the region schedule against the Bruins on the road will determine Cedartown’s path forward.

One thing that the Bulldogs desperately will have to work on this week: the kicking game. Gio Jacobo’s transfer away from Cedartown in recent days showed on the night with several missed extra points, and attempts at two point conversions knocked down.

The defense remains a solid foundation for the Bulldogs to work off of, but they’ll have to be wary of trick plays like the first touchdown on the night from Pickens County through the rest of the season.

Offensively, look for CJ Washington and Harlem Diamond to remain forces to be reckoned with for the Bulldogs ground game in the weeks to come.

Check back for more photos and the Homecoming Court presentation video later today.