Bulldogs get push on offensive line against Gators

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on September 13, 2014 11:27 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

SEVEN SPRINGS -- The slow start baffled Aaron Sanders.

It soon turned to frustration.

Sanders watched as his Spring Creek offensive and defensive lines, each filled with first-year starters, get pushed around against Wake Christian Academy on Friday evening. The Gators adjusted at halftime, but couldn't sustain any momentum during a 27-6 loss at "The Swamp."

The Bulldogs (2-2 overall) snapped a five-game skid against Carolina 1-A Conference opposition since 2009.

An early-evening thunderstorm brought showers and sharp lightning, which caused a 45-minute delay. Sanders stressed the importance of starting out well to his team in the locker room, but the Gators didn't carry out his message during the first two quarters.

Wake Christian got a consistent push from its offensive linemen and flustered Spring Creek with its Wildcat formation. The Bulldogs broke off huge chunks of yardage after a direct snap to junior tailback Adam Jones, who led all rushers with a 168 yards on 22 carries.

"The direct snap did bother us. We struggled to get the guys on the field to recognize it," Sanders said. "When we were able to get them to recognize it, we had trouble stopping it. They ran downhill on us and we didn't make the play."

Jones' 2-yard touchdown run less than two minutes into the second quarter ended a scoreless tie. After the Gators turned the ball over on downs, senior fullback John Fuller capped a 9-play drive with a 1-yard plunge.

The Bulldogs piled up 265 yards of total offense in the first half.

Spring Creek had 26.

"(Blocking) is an area that we have tried to improve on each week, and I felt like going from week one to week two, we had made a great deal of improvement, especially on the offensive line," Sanders said.

Wake Christian padded its advantage to 20-0 on Nate Williams' 60-yard scoring pass to Isaiah Moore midway through the third quarter. Spring Creek (1-3) answered with Gary Williams' 32-yard touchdown gallop barely two minutes later.

Williams led the Gators' attack with 89 yards on 13 totes.

Spring Creek's defense didn't surrender a third-down conversion in the second half, and it forced a fumble -- one of three WCA turnovers on the night. Senior quarterback Logan Miller directed the offense inside the Bulldogs' 25-yard line twice. Each possession resulted in a turnover on downs.

"That was huge ... really hurt," Sanders said. "We got some stuff rolling, but we couldn't convert when we got deep in their territory."

The Bulldogs iced the game when Hunter Wilson returned a fumble 50 yards to the house with 1:36 to go on the clock.