The Pike County Bulldogs overcame another slow start with a 41-23 win over area foe Houston Academy on Thursday.

The win gives the Bulldogs a 4-1 record in the area and a win over Daleville this evening will secure at least a share of the area championship.

“This was a very big win,” said Bulldogs head coach Dough Holland. “It’s sets us up for (tonight). Daleville has a really good team, but a win will assure us at least a share.”

In the first half, especially in the opening quarter, the Bulldogs played more laid back compared to games this season. Part of that change was by design, the other part was because of the Tiger defense.

“They played really good defense,” Holland said. “Last time they played us they played a zone, this time they played man. That is a really good team.”

The Bulldogs managed eight first quarter points, but allowed just one Tiger field goal and went into the second quarter holding an 8-2 lead.

The lead for the Bulldogs mushroomed to as big as 10 points at 12-2 thanks in large part to the play of Andres Burney, who scored eight consecutive Bulldog points.

The Tigers got back in the game on a 9-0 throughout the second quarter and went into halftime trailing by three points at 16-13.

Juhmir Lampley came alive for the Bulldogs in the third quarter by scoring seven third quarter points. The Bulldogs held an eight-point lead into the fourth quarter at 28-20 before stretching the lead to as much as 18 points in the final period.

“We told them at halftime that this is a team that won’t go away,” Holland said. “I thought we played good defensively and I thought we moved the ball better in the second half.”

Lampley led the Bulldogs with 14 points on the night, while Burney put up 12.

The Bulldogs will hit the road to take on the Warhawks this evening beginning at 7 p.m.