Bulldogs dominate Union County at home in season opener

NEWBERRY — Mike Ware Field was packed as football fans filled the stadium to see the highly anticipated week one matchup between Newberry High School and Union County. The Bulldogs(1-0) dominated Union County(0-1) with a lump sided 40-14 win the season opener at home.

The Bulldogs got off to a hot start and lead 26-0 at halftime. Bryce Satterwhite threw for two touchdowns in the first half. Cash Brown caught one of those touchdown passes for his receiving score of the season. Kenton Caldwell ran for a score in the first half.

Newberry came out with the same energy in the second half and scored on their second offensive drive. BJ Jones got the drive started with a strong run. Then, junior quarterback Caldwell found his favorite target junior wide receiver Jamel Howse for a 20-yard throw and catch.

Brown kept his good game going with two back to back catches that went for long gains. His second catch put the Bulldogs inside the 5-yard line and had them knocking on the door for a touchdown. Of course, they called on Jones to punch it through. That short yard touchdown run gave the home team a 33-0 lead with 6:46 left in the third quarter.

Union County got into desperation mode and began to air the ball out more at an attempt for a comeback effort. Isaiah Glymph quickly ended any hopes of a comeback by snatching a pass out there for his first interception of the season. The Bulldogs couldn’t get any points off the turnover, but still held a commanding lead.

Newberry special teams came up with a huge play late in the third quarter. They were able to get some pressure and blocked a punt that lead to six points after the big defensive lineman Tommir Toland picked the ball up and rumbled his way into the end zone. The Bulldogs’ sideline erupted and the game could’ve ended on that play because it deflated what was left of the players’ spirits on the Union County sidelines.

The Yellow Jackets did show some pride late in the fourth by scoring two touchdowns, but the game was already decided. Newberry dominated them in back-to-back years and to get off to a 1-0 start.

“Well, we didn’t play at the intensity level that I wanted to play at. We got some very talented guys but its gone come down to us being disciplined like I talked about the other day. We have to reach our full potential because we have the potential to be very, very good,” said Bulldogs head coach Cedrick Jeter. “So, we want to make sure we reach our potential. If we want to be a championship program, its something we have to work on every single day. It aint’t gone be no shortcuts. We gone work at it everyday and we not gone hit a switch to all of sudden to become a championship team. It’s just gone take some work.”

Offensively, the Bulldogs featured both of their quarterbacks as promised. For now, the Bulldogs head coach said this will continue.

“We definitely plan on playing both guys throughout the season. Like I said, both of those guys are very talented. We saw some of throws both were able to make tonight. They both can play and its no use of wasting them. We are going to use them why we got them and we are blessed,” Jeter stated.

He added, “We are lucky to be in this position that we are in and we are going to continue to going with it. I don’t see us changing anytime soon, unless one guy decides to take the job and make all throws and play perfect football. Then, we will go with that guy but right now the two quarterback system is working and we gone make somebody stop us.”

Newberry will hit the road next Friday night on August 30 to face off against Mid-Carolina in the highly anticipated rivalry game.