The Pike County Bulldogs had their shutout streak come to a close Friday night, but the dominant rushing attack more than compensated in a 47-8 win over the Wicksburg Panthers Friday night on homecoming.

It had been since the second half of the Charles Henderson game that the Bulldogs last surrendered a point to an opponent. On Friday night it took a drive that lasted 20 plays and nearly 10 minutes, but the Panthers were able to break the streak.

In the end the only streak that matters is the Bulldogs winning streak, something that extended to six games with a win over the Panthers.

“We came out a little flat in the first half, but we came out and played a lot better in the second,” Bulldogs head coach Fred Holland said. “They did a good job tonight. We set out tonight to win a region game and we accomplished that.”

The Bulldogs didn’t hesitate in the first quarter and looked to have put the game away early.

After holding the Panthers on the opening drive of the game, the Bulldogs started their night in familiar fashion. After a Deshon Cowling run of four yards and a short completion to Corie Batie. Cowling raced around the left edge and sprinted for a 47-yard touchdown giving the Bulldogs the early 6-0 after a missed extra point.

Later in the first quarter and the Panthers with the football the opportunistic Bulldogs defense forced another turnover this time on a fumble that was scooped up by Jahmir Lampley and ran in for a touchdown to extend the Bulldogs lead to 14-0.

Cowling who has dominated all season long running football has picked up in the return game as well. After returning one for a touchdown last week against Barbour County, Cowling ran a punt back from 70-yards out to put the Bulldogs up comfortably 20-0.

Although the Bulldogs came into the game without surrendering a point and already up 20-0 the Panthers were not deterred. The Panthers went on a 20-play drive that lasted nearly 10 minutes. The Panthers closed out the drive with a one-yard touchdown run and after a successful two-point conversion attempt the Panthers narrowed the gap to 20-8.

The Panthers looked to wear down the Bulldogs during the long drive. All 20 plays were via the run and the Bulldogs looked to be out of gas.

“We were a little bit,” Holland said. “I am proud of our guys, they had a long drive against us but our offense came out and played really well.”

From there the Bulldogs struggled to get anything going the rest of the first half and both teams entered halftime with the Bulldogs leading 20-8.

The Bulldogs went back to what has been so successful for them all season long. After a one-yard run by quarterback Jerrell Lawson, Cowling a run of 38 yards that set up another Cowling run from 28-yards out for another Bulldogs touchdown.

The running game, which has been so strong all year long for the Bulldogs, continued on their next drive. With the ball on their 47-yard line Lawson handed the ball off to Kamari Jackson who ran around the right side and off to the end zone for a 53-yard touchdown.

Just like in the first half, the Panthers went on a long drive that stretched nearly 10 minutes. This time the Bulldogs defense held when Batie picked off a pass giving the Bulldogs possession.

The Bulldogs maid the Panthers pay for it. After another big run by Jackson, this time from 32-yards out, Cowling ran it in again for this third score of the game this time from three yards out to give the Bulldogs a 40-8 lead midway through the third quarter.

The Bulldogs took a commanding 40-8 lead into the fourth quarter and they weren’t done yet. After letting up their first points of the season in the first half, the Bulldogs defense shut the door from then on. The Bulldogs have taken a commanding lead into the fourth quarter in each one of their games this season.

The Bulldogs offense wasn’t done as the game moved into the fourth quarter; Michael Rumph bulldozed his way for a one-yard touchdown to close out the scoring for Pike County at 47-8.

Cowling led the Bulldogs offensively Friday night finishing with 3 touchdowns and 170 yards rushing.

The Bulldogs will take their 6-0 record on the road to play Slocomb next Friday night.