Bulldogs 1-2 on season-opening weekend

BY JOHN DECOSTE

Kings County Register

Despite only winning one of three games - and that by just one point, it was still a positive season-opening weekend for the Valley Bulldogs minor football teams.

As part of the Gerry Hale jamboree in Dartmouth, the peewee Bulldogs dropped a 36-8 decision to Timberlea. The bantams edged Timberlea 12-11 and the atom Bulldogs lost 25-0, also to the Timberlea team.

The games were played in increasingly poor weather and field conditions.

According to bantam head coach Larry Priestnall, “the peewees got all their game in before it rained, it rained the second half of our game and the atoms - it rained the whole game.”

Priestnall stressed, “for our first time out, a win is a win.

“We had a 12-0 lead at halftime and held on. The defense was outstanding; the offense can do much better. We should have scored more, and penalties and fumbles killed us.”

Mitch Getson, who finished with 11 of his team’s 12 points, caught a touchdown pass from Robert Adams, kicked the convert, was good on a 39-yard field goal Priestnall felt “was a Bulldogs record at least,” and added a point on a missed field goal. A punt single by Andrew Jennings-Lindsay rounded out the Valley scoring.

The peewee Bulldogs, with just two starters returning from last year’s team, lost by 28 points but, according to head coach Steve Melanson, “the score wasn’t indicative of how the kids played. For 26 of our 30 players, it was their first game of football at this level.

“We took some penalties and made some other mistakes that will improve with time and experience.”

Gareth Nicholson had the Bulldogs’ only touchdown, and Rory Graham added the convert.

The young atom Bulldogs were blanked 25-0. The offense was able to move the ball at times in the ever-worsening conditions, but was unable to put any points on the board.

This week

• The peewees play Bedford at the Range Field, 2 p.m.

• The bantams play Bedford at the Range Field, 2 p.m.

• The atoms meet Dartmouth Sept. 14 at 11 a.m. at Beazley Field in Dartmouth.