BRUNDIDGE – Pike County accomplished something it had not done all season –– win two games in a row.

The Bulldogs, fresh off a victory over Geneva where they locked up the second seed in the area, defeated Dale County, 43-23, on Monday.

Pike County (5-18, 3-3) got off to a hot start but cooled a bit in the second half, leaving head coach Doug Branson with mixed feeling about his squad heading into tonight’s match with Ariton.

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“I thought we played a good first half,” Branson said. “We didn’t finish as well as I would have liked though.”

The Bulldogs allowed a basket early on to fall behind 2-0. The ensuing 10-0 run would give Pike County all the cushion it would need to earn a second consecutive win.

Marlon Meadows and Landis Mency led that run with four points each. Meadows capped it with a 12-foot jump shot with 4:52 remaining in the opening quarter.

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The Bulldogs would build even more momentum when Ryshaun Hall was fouled on a three-point attempt at the first quarter buzzer. He would converted all three free throw attempts to give Pike County an 18-6 advantage.

The Bulldogs, using the press more than opponent are accustomed, forced multiple turnovers and picked up baskets from DeAndre Moore as well as a buzzer beating three-pointer from Azriel Larkin to extend their lead to 25 at the half.

Dale County would attack the basket after the break, earning five trips to the charity stripe. The Warriors would convert 6 of 10 tries but that was not enough to overtake Pike County.

Hall and Meadows finished with 13 points each to lead the Bulldogs.

“Our guys are hanging in there and doing a great job at practice,” Branson said. “I’m proud of these guys for working hard especially after the start we had.”

Pike County opened the season 1-16 but since that time is 4-2.

The Bulldogs will travel to Ozark to take on Carroll who Pike County defeated earlier in the season for the team’s first victory on Friday in the team’s regular season finale.