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Bulldogs cap perfect season with title
Not only did the victory give the Bulldogs back to back 1A State championships but also marked the third time in the last four years that they had claimed the title, having won their first Super Six championship back in 2004. The Bulldogs three Super Six wins set a 1A record as well with no other team in the 1A classification having more than one such Championship. The 2007 State Title also gave Sweet Water a total of seven 1A state championships (1978, 1979, 1982, 1986, 2004, 2006, and 2007) since the beginning of the original state championship program back in 1966 making it number one in that category as well with Courtland coming in second with five.
For Bulldog Coach Stacy Luker, the win, as sweet as it was, stirred up a myriad of emotions that ran the gambit from complete exhilaration to somber realization. "This is a great group of kids who have done whatever we have asked of them," Coach Luker said. "I am proud of them and all they have accomplished this year. It would have been easy coming off a State Championship last year to lose some of their passion to win, but they stayed focused and accomplished a lot."
Everything got started in the game itself, with Talladega County winning the coin toss and electing to defer to the second half, giving the Bulldogs the ball first at their 21 following the opening kickoff. Although the Bulldogs were able to pick up two first downs during that first possession, the drive eventually stalled at the Talladega County 45 forcing a Bulldog punt that backed the Tigers up to their six yard line. From there the Tigers were only able to pick up two yards against the relentless Bulldog defense punting it back to the Sweet Water on fourth down.
Having difficulty getting the ball off the goal line, the Tigers tried a toss sweep on third down and eight from the three. Unfortunately for the Talladega County Tigers, the play didn't go as planned and a fumbled pitch found its way into hands of Sweet Water's Johnny Lockett at the one yard line from whence he blasted his way into the endzone for the Bulldogs first points of the game. Employing a little trickery Sweet Water chose to go for two with holder Drew Luker hooking up with kicker Scottie Nelson on a three yard pass for the two points. That put the Bulldogs on top 8 - 0 with 1:48 to play in the first quarter. That's the way it would remain until the 9:17 mark of the second quarter when a bad snap on a Sweet Water punt ended up giving the Tigers the ball at the Bulldogs 31 yard line. After gaining only one yard in two plays the Talladega County offense struck pay dirt on third down when a middle screen pass play went for 30 yards and a touchdown. The extra-point was good cutting the Sweet Water lead to 8 - 7 with 8:09 to play in the second quarter.
That's the way it would remain at intermission as Antonio Landrum picked off a Tiger pass at Sweet Water 30 with 1:20 left in the half, ending a Talladega County drive that showed promise. The second half belonged to the Bulldogs as the defense continued to tighten the screws on the Tiger offense and the offense exploited the Talladega County defense for three more touchdowns including the first one that came on a one yard plunge by Anthony Landrum that culminated a 15 play 71 yard drive that ate 7:05 off the third quarter clock. Scottie Nelson's extra-point attempt failed but the Bulldogs led 28 - 7 with 3:54 to play in the third quarter.
Sweet Water's final touchdown and ultimately the final points of the game came midway of the fourth quarter when the Bulldogs drove 73 yards to pay dirt in only three plays. Johnny Lockett picked up his second touchdown of the night, this one on offense, on the final play of the drive when he scampered 38 yards for the score. Scottie Nelson was on the mark again making the final 42 - 7. Leading the rushing attack of the vaunted Bulldog offense which recorded 295 of its 388 yard total on the ground was Anthony Landrum with 215 yards and three touchdowns on 31 carries. Johnny Lockett was next with 69 yards and one touchdown on six carries followed by Damaraquis Williams with 28 yards on seven carries.
Over on defense where the Bulldogs held the Tigers to 108 total yards of offense including only 13 rushing, Tyrice Lockett and Devin Wolf led the charge with eight tackles each followed by Delano Brewer with five. In other big defensive plays Wes Burnett had a quarterback sack while Antonio Landrum, Drew Luker and Travis Young all had interceptions.
As what might be termed as an exclamation point to the Sweet Water victory, Anthony Landrum was named as the game's most valuable player for his outstanding play in the game. It was the third such honor for the senior running back who had won the same award in both the 2004 and 2006 championship games as well.
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