Just like last year.
Wilson’s 2022 football season started much the same as the 2021 campaign with injuries mounting during a loss to a quality opponent with top-notch athletes.
Coach Doug Dahms and the Bulldogs can only hope they can recover from Friday night’s 46-15 loss to visiting Roman Catholic the way they did last year when they won a league championship and reached the District 3 Class 6A title game after a rough start.
Mao Howell rushed for 153 yards and three touchdowns and Roman Catholic racked up 322 yards on the ground as the Chillite overcame Wilson’s early 12-0 lead at Gurski Stadium.
“They were tough up front and they’ve got skill guys,” Dahms said. “They handled us.”
Roman Catholic finished with 457 yards of total offense to 130 for the Bulldogs. Jamir Robertson rushed for a game-high 161 yards and a touchdown. Wilson also turned the ball over seven times, including two that Roman Catholic turned into touchdowns in the fourth quarter to break open what had been a competitive game.
“They beat us in the trenches,” Dahms said. “We’ve got to get better. Offensively and defensively they beat us up front.”
The Bulldogs started strongly on offense and defense to grab a 12-0 lead less than a minute into the second quarter.
Cam Jones scored on a 4-yard run late in the first quarter to cap a Wilson 46-yard drive.
After Roman Catholic went three-and-out on its third straight possession to open the game, Jones made a dazzling 77-yard punt return for a touchdown on the first play of the second quarter.
“We showed what we could do in the first quarter,” Dahms said. “It was a glimpse of what we could be.”
But Roman Catholic showed flashes of what it is shortly after that.
On the first play from scrimmage following Jones’ second TD, Robertson raced 50 yards to set up a 34-yard touchdown run by Howell.
But the big play, according to Dahms, came later in the second quarter with Wilson still holding a 12-6 lead. The Bulldogs’ Brady Kline was stuffed on a fourth-and-1 from the Wilson 38.
Roman Catholic tied it six plays later on a 2-yard run by Howell, then took the lead for good when Wilson fumbled the ensuing kickoff, which led to a 30-yard touchdown pass from Samaj Beals to Tyseer Denmark.
“They stoned us,” Dahms said about the fourth-down play. “Right then and there I knew we were in trouble.”
Wilson was limited to a 21-yard field goal by Ben Rada in the second half. Still, Wilson hung around and trailed just 26-15 midway through the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs were deep in Roman Catholic territory before Jah-Jah Boyd picked off a pass by Tom Hunsicker and raced 90 yards for a score with 5:15 left.
Hunsicker, in his first start at quarterback, went 7-of-20 for 70 yards with three interceptions. Wilson also lost four fumbles and had several key players head to the sideline with injuries throughout the game.
It was reminiscent of last year’s season-opening loss to the Nick Singleton-led Gov. Mifflin team.
“We lost a lot of players, just like last year,” Dahms said. “We’ve got to get healthy. We’ve got a lot of dings, bumps and bruises. Hopefully they’re not too serious.”
Source: Berkshire mont
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