Belgreen bullies Cherokee to win program’s first region game

In a season of firsts for the Belgreen High School varsity football team, the Bulldogs played and won the program’s first ever region game Friday night, easily dispatching the Cherokee High School Indians 48-14 to celebrate Homecoming.

The win improved Belgreen’s record to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in Class 1A Region 7.

The first offensive possessions for both teams stalled, so it was up to the Bulldog defense to open the scoring with less than five minutes remaining in the first quarter.

After a punt pinned Cherokee deep in its own territory, the Bulldogs pinned their ears back to put pressure on the quarterback near the goal line. On a third down play, junior linebacker Rush Berryman closed down on the Indians’ scrambling QB, putting a hard hit on him to force a fumble; junior Logan Alexander was there to fall on the ball in the end zone for the game’s first score.

Up 7-0, the Belgreen D wasted no time in getting the ball back to its offense.

Following the kickoff, on Cherokee’s next third down play, Brayden Messer picked off a pass and returned it to the Indians’ one-yard line. One play later, just two minutes after their first score, Berryman easily crossed the goal line for the Bulldogs’ second touchdown, make it a 14-0 game.

On the first play of the second quarter, Belgreen struck again, this time from long range: Berryman found a wide open Messer streaking down the hashmark and hit him for an 85-yard touchdown pass to put BHS up 21-0.

Belgreen added to its lead about six minutes later when, once again, Berryman found a wide open receiver in Zed Wilson who went untouched for a 58-yard score.

The Bulldogs went on to score once more before halftime when Berryman and Wilson connected again on a 55-yard touchdown pass to make it 35-0 with just under three minutes to play before the break.

The hosts received the ball to start the second half and very quickly added to their lead. Alexander, who scored the game’s first touchdown on defense, scored his second touchdown on offense on a short run. Alexander’s rushing effort gave BHS a 42-0 advantage after the extra point.

Wilson’s third touchdown of the night, a 31-yard rushing score, capped Belgreen’s total for the evening at 48 points with four minutes left in the third quarter.

Cherokee would eventually end the shutout midway through the fourth quarter and ended up scoring two touchdowns. Of course, that was much too little too late for the Indians and the Bulldogs would finish the game with a final 48-14 lead.

The Homecoming and region win sets Belgreen up for a first meeting with undefeated Red Bay, ranked No. 7 in Class 1A, in its next game. The Bulldogs will travel to Fred Bostick Jr. Stadium for that region contest on Friday, September 11.