BY TRAVIS DAVID
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The Dugger Union football team came up short in their 8-man football season opener in Week 1.
Mikey Pearison made sure that didn’t happen again Friday night.
The senior rushed for what is believed to be a school record of 257 yards in the Bulldogs’ 34-26 win at Traders Point.
Pearison also set the Bulldogs’ record for touchdowns in a game as the running back accounted for all five of his team’s touchdowns in the win.
“Mikey had a huge game for us tonight,” Dugger Union coach Levi Lumm said of his senior.
But it wasn’t always easy.
The Bulldogs found themselves in a 20-8 hole after Traders Point scored on a long touchdown run early in the third quarter.
Pearison started the comeback with a 47-yard score in the third and tied the game with an 18-yard score to open the scoring in the fourth quarter.
The star back gave the Bulldogs a 28-20 lead when he found paydirt from 13 yards before capping his monster performance with a score from 25 yards out.
Traders Point scored on the final play of the game to make the score closer than it was at the end.
“We still have a relatively young team, but they showed a lot of grit tonight with the way they came back from being down by two scores,” the Bulldogs’ head coach said of the comeback win.
The defense recovered four fumbles on the night as Tayte Stone, Skyler Folberth, Devin Pavey and Weselon Smith all came up with takeaways.
“The whole defense was outstanding in the second half, especially the defensive line which was led by Tayte Stone,” Lumm said of his defense. “I am just very proud of the whole team tonight.”
Lumm also gave praise to two other offensive players during the win.
“Devin Pavey and Linkin Frazee both ran the ball well to keep their defense from selling out to Mikey on every play,” Lumm said.
Frazee, the Bulldogs quarterback, chewed up 67 yards on 12 totes in the win, while Pavey added 36 yards on seven carries.
Pavey also tied Folberth for the team lead in tackles on defense with seven.
Stone and Elijah Eads both came up with two quarterback sacks.
Dugger Union (1-1) plays host to Indiana School of the Deaf on Saturday in its home opener. Kickoff is slated for 5 p.m.
