CMS Bulldogs fall to Richland

The Cornersville Middle School Bulldogs (2-5) wrapped up their 2011 football campaign on Thursday night when they dropped a 32-22 decision to the Richland Raiders at home.

Richland took control of the game early and scored touchdowns on their first two drives while converting both two-point conversions to forge a 16-0 lead with 7:52 left in the second quarter.

On the Bulldogs' ensuing possession, Christian Kinder broke loose for a 75-yard touchdown run before quarterback J.D. Crabtree found Nate Huitt in the end zone on the two-point conversion pass to narrow the gap to 16-8.

Cornersville, though, continued to have trouble slowing the Raider offense down, as the Raiders scored touchdowns on two of their next three possessions to take a 32-8 lead into the break.

In the second half, the Bulldogs trimmed the deficit to 32-16 early in the fourth quarter thanks to a 1-yard touchdown plunge by William Liles and a Mason Hobby two-point conversion run after Liles galloped 79 yards down the left sideline on the previous play.

Cornersville then closed out the season on a positive note when Hobby scored on a 24-yard touchdown scamper on the final play of the game for the 32-22 final.

"I'm happy that we kept our heads up in the second half and continued to play hard," said CMS coach Eric Crabtree. "Playing football is good, but our job is to help make them productive young men. We didn't have a very big roster this year, but we didn't have any kids quit and actually added some people as the season went along. The guys persevered and stuck it out."

The Bulldogs actually outgained Richland 245-200 and held a 231-165 edge in rushing yards, but committed a pair of turnovers in the first half, which led to two Raider touchdowns.

Liles led Cornersville's ground game with 80 yards rushing on two carries, while Kinder added 78 yards on three attempts. Hobby (28 yards on four carries), Dillard Hatchett (26 yards on two carries), Davontae Brown (19 yards on three carries), and Matthew Karban (17 yards on five carries) rushed for positive yardage as well for CMS.

Crabtree, meanwhile, connected on 1-of-4 passes for 14 yards and one interception with his lone completion going to Justin Singleton.

Tailback Jackson Gowing reached the end zone three times for the Raiders, as he rushed for 41 yards and two touchdowns on five carries to go along with a 35-yard TD reception on the final play of the first half. Jay Burchell also added a 42-yard touchdown run, while quarterback Hollis Helton had 26 yards rushing and a touchdown on two carries.

Karban and Brown recorded five tackles apiece to pace Cornersville's defense, while Aaron Fox, Hatchett, and Kinder each registered four tackles.