CORNER —
Turnovers were a major issue for Corner once again, as visiting Dora handed the Yellow Jackets a 39-17 loss Friday night.
Despite losing the game by 22 points, Corner held their own when it came to moving the football between the 20s. The Jackets finished the game with 13 first downs on 229 yards of total offense. Dora finished with a similar 17 first downs on 259 total yards.
“We continue to turn the ball over and the scores are way more lopsided than they should be in the two loses that we have had,” said Corner head coach Zac Willis.
The game was lost due to a turnover epidemic that is currently haunting the Jackets. Corner turned the ball over five times, Dora just once. Three Corner turnovers came way of Blake Byrd being intercepted by Bulldog cornerback JaiCorian Parker; his first two picks came in Corner’s first three drives of the game, resulting in seven points.
Dora quarterback Caleb May took advantage of Byrd’s first turnover with a 29-yard touchdown dash off left side, giving the Bulldogs an early 7-0 lead.
Byrd’s third interception came on the first play of the second half, when the Yellow Jackets called for a trick play following an onside kick recovery. Obviously Parker was not fooled, as he protected Dora’s 20-3 second-half lead.
On Corner’s third drive of the second half, Byrd fumbled the ball as he was being sacked and DeAngelo Pendleton scooped and scored from 15 yards out.
Byrd would fumble on the ensuing kickoff return, and Joel Parrish recovered the loose ball in Corner territory, setting up DeMarcus Kirk for his second touchdown rush of the night, this one from two yards out. That gave the Bulldogs a commanding 33-3 lead.
“We have to start hanging on to the football and quit throwing it to someone else,” said Willis.
Kirk’s first touchdown came with 2:32 remaining in the first half. He galloped into the end zone from the 5-yard line.
Kirk was not the only one doing damage from the Bulldog backfield. Kai Thomas chipped in with 13 caries for 141 yards and two touchdowns on the night. He exploded out of the backfield for a 15-yard touchdown rush midway through the second quarter, giving Dora a 14-3 lead.
Thomas would put his big-play potential back on display early in the fourth quarter with a 65-yard sprint to the end zone, the Bulldogs final score of the night.
The Yellow Jackets would find the end zone twice in the fourth quarter. Byrd scored on a one-yard quarterback keeper with 10:24 remaining in the game. Running back Austin Sanford went nine yards off right side for the last score of the night.
Despite his turnover problems, Byrd still led Corner in rushing and passing. He finished 14-of-23 through the air for 105 yards, and another 53 yards on the ground with a touchdown.
Byrd’s favorite target was receiver Dylan Hand, who had five catches for 58 yards.
Corner kicker Troy Elliott hit a 33-yard field goal in the first quarter. He would later miss from 37 yards out.
The win gave Dora a 3-0 overall record and a 2-0 region start as they host West Blocton next week. Corner is now sitting at 1-2 overall with a 1-1 region mark, and will face Calera next Friday.
Local Sports
Football: Dora 39, Corner 17
Turnovers plague Yellow Jackets again
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