RECAP: Central Dauphin takes control, dispatches Wilson (3) with ease

Tagged under: District 3, Gameday Hub, News

Joe Mays | August 25, 2018

Two of the most prestigious and consistent programs in all of District 3 met during Week 0 of the 2018 PIAA football season, though you wouldn’t know it based on the performance of one of the teams. Unfortunately for Bulldogs fans, the players wearing red and white were sloppy in the first half and overwhelmed in the final two quarters as the Central Dauphin Rams controlled the entire game on their way to an easy 23-7 victory on their home turf at Landis Field. It was Central Dauphin’s fourth straight victory versus Wilson, something no team had ever before accomplished against the Bulldogs.

Senior QB Anthony Futrick connects with senior TE Nick Johnson for the score in the final moments of Wilson’s 23-7 loss at Central Dauphin on Friday, August 24th, 2018.

As expected, the game started slowly with both defenses suffocating the offenses and forcing miscues and turnovers. Each team had a snap sail over their QBs head with the opponent recovering, but only the Rams were able to capitalize. Central Dauphin’s Derek Krug hit a 22-yard field goal with 30 seconds left in the 1st Quarter to take a 3-0 lead. An earlier punt return mishap by Wilson gave Central Dauphin the ball at the Bulldogs 21 but the Rams offense stalled and Krug missed a field goal.

Following the converted field goal, it looked as though Wilson got the spark they needed when senior returner Elijah Morales took the kickoff 96-yards to the end zone nearly untouched. However, the huge scoring play was negated by penalty. Defenses then took center stage once again, for both teams. For Wilson, junior CB Mat Fry stopped a Rams drive with an interception. On Wilson’s ensuing offensive series, Central Dauphin forced a fumble by Bulldogs sophomore WR Troy Corson on an end-around. The ball was scooped up by the Rams’ Marques Holton and returned 47 yards for a touchdown, stretching Central Dauphin’s lead to 10-0 with 6:58 left in the first half. Wilson threatened one last time as halftime approached but were stopped on downs just outside the Central Dauphin 5-yard line.

The final score between the Rams and Bulldogs during their non-league game on Friday, August 24th, 2018.

Adjustments by each team were made during the break, but only one side was able to execute over the final 24 minutes. The Bulldogs young defensive front – consisting of junior DEs Nate Keller and Adam Vanino, junior DT John Ventura, and sophomore DT Jeff Colacin – couldn’t hold up against the Rams, who easily rushed the ball up and down the field while draining the clock. After Central Dauphin forced a 1-yard Wilson punt on the first series of the second half, the Rams quickly covered 38 yards to extend their lead to 17-0 with 7:14 left in the third quarter on a 5-yard run by Ty Leisher. They’d make it 23-0 early in the fourth quarter thanks to a 1-yard score by senior FB Adam Burkhart, and the Rams coasted to the finish. They put their shutout in the hands of back-ups and reserves over the final 90 seconds and that’s when Wilson’s O finally came alive… 46.5 minutes too late. With 19 seconds to play, senior QB Anthony Futrick (21 of 34 for 193 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) connected with senior TE Nick Johnson in the end zone to avoid what would have been the first shutout of a Wilson team during Doug Dahms’ tenure as Head Coach. (The Bulldogs have not had a lone 0 attributed to them since a 21-0 setback vs Cedar Crest on September 21st, 2001, at Gurski Stadium.)

KEY STAT: Central Dauphin averaged nearly 3.5 yards per carry. Wilson? Just a bit over 2.1 ypc.

UP NEXT: Wilson returns to West Lawn to host rival Governor Mifflin at Gurski Stadium. Central Dauphin will also head to the Reading, PA suburbs as they will help anoint Berks Catholic’s new turf field. Both games are set for kickoff at 7pm on Friday 8/31.

PAFootballNews.com Contributor/Reporter Joe Mays is a 2003 Wilson High School alum and has been covering the Bulldogs football program since 2010. He rebooted the old WilsonTV program, The Bulldog Hour, prior to the 2015 football season and maintains a volunteer position with the team as Social Media Strategist/Outreach Coordinator/Historical Preservation Officer. Want to talk more about Wilson football or the Lancaster-Lebanon League? Find him on Twitter @CoachJoeMays or the podcast @BulldogHour.

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