The Cougars made the most of their long trip last Friday night to Clinton County as they trounced the Bulldogs 46-0 to improve their record to 4-3 for the season.

It was a good night all around for the Cougars as they moved the ball at will against the Bulldog defense and the defense completely shut down Clinton County’s offensive attack.

Senior Johnathan Higdon had a fine night for the Cougars, carrying the ball nine times for 77 yards and one touchdown, and catching three passes for 40 yards.

Sophomore quarterback Hunter Gary also had a big night. Gary was 9-of-12 throwing the ball for 119 yards, including a 10-yard pass for a touchdown to junior Jacob Clemons. Gary also ran the ball four times for 46 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and had one 42-yard run called back on a Cougar penalty. He also picked off a third-quarter Bulldog pass and returned it 85 yards for his third touchdown of the night.

The Cougars got the night off to a quick start by taking the opening kickoff and driving 88 yards in eight plays to score the first touchdown of the night. Gary completed two passes for 29 yards during the drive, then ran the ball in from the 17 for the score. Gary’s kick on the extra-point was good to make it 7-0 with a little less than three minutes gone in the first period.

The Cougars went for an on-side kick on the ensuing kickoff and when the ball bounced off a Clinton County up-man, Nick Haycraft covered the loose ball and the Cougars were threatening again at the Bulldog 38.

Following an incomplete pass, Higdon staggered a Bulldog tackler at the 25 and continued on, carrying down to the 12. Two plays later senior Bradley Harrison carried nine yards for another touchdown. Gary added the extra point and with 7:55 remaining in the first period it was 14-0.

Behind the running of Clinton County quarterback Brent Durham, the Bulldogs moved into Cougar territory to the 25 on their first possession of the game. But on a third-and-10 play, Clemons picked off a Durham pass at the 10 and returned it to the 22, from where they began their next scoring drive.

Using a good mix of running and passing, the Cougars moved 73 yards in nine plays, with the big play being a 24-yard pass from Gary to senior Matt Thurner which took the ball to the Bulldog six. One play later Higdon carried in for the score. Gary added the extra point and with 1:31 left in the first it was 21-0.

After the Cougars forced a punt, the Bulldogs came up with their first stop of the Cougar offense, taking over on downs at the their own 44. But the Bulldogs gave the ball right back when Layman Ortensie recovered a first-down fumble, setting up the Cougars at the 39.

Gary then threw three straight receptions for another Cougar touchdown. He threw to Higdon for 23 yards to the 16, then completed a short pass to Dustin Thomas to the 10. Finally he found Clemons all alone in the end zone for another Cougar touchdown. The kick was no good, but with 8:38 left in the second period the Cougars were up 27-0.

The Cougars held the Bulldogs again on their next possession, but on the ensuing punt Gary muffed the catch and Clinton County recovered the ball at the Grayson County 17.

On a fourth-and-nine play at the 16, Durham completed a pass to Brandon Durham to the one, but the gain was nullified on an illegal procedure penalty and the ball was moved back to the 21. On the next play, Durham was flagged for intentional grounding as the Cougars swarmed him in the backfield and Grayson County took over the ball at the Cougar 40.

Grayson County then used over three minutes and 11 plays to drive 60 yards for another score. Gary carried in from the one with 19.7 seconds left to make the score at halftime 33-0.

After Grayson County forced the Bulldogs to punt on the opening possession of the second half, the Cougars held the ball for more than five minutes and moved 58 yards in eight plays for another touchdown. Thomas carried in from three yards out at the 6:34 mark to make it 39-0.

The Bulldogs got a little push on their next possession, taking the ball from their own 33 to the Cougar 32, but Grayson County recovered another Bulldog fumble and took over at the 36.

On a third-and-nine play Gary was picked off by the Bulldogs’ Neil Connor, who returned the ball to the Cougar 40. But on Clinton County’s first down, Gary returned the favor, intercepting a Durham pass at the 15 and returned it 85 yards for the final score of the night. Gary then added the extra point to make it 46-0 and the clock began to run continuously.

The Bulldogs made one last drive against mainly JV players for the Cougars, taking the ball down to the Grayson County 10, but that was as close as they would come. An incomplete pass on fourth down gave the Cougars the ball back with 3:21 left in the game and they were able to run out the clock and record the win.

The Cougars will be back at home this coming Friday when they have a huge district game against Warren Central. A win over the Dragons (2-5) would assure the Cougars of a home game in the opening round of the playoffs. Come on out and root the Cougars to victory.