Cox, Stockton, Plummer come up big in Bulldogs' win
(Photo by JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY) Julian Barajas, pictured earlier in the year, had a touchdown catch for the second straight game on Friday night in Canada.
(Photo by JASON DUCHOW PHOTOGRAPHY) Junior linebacker Payton Cox was part of a strong defensive effort by the Bulldogs to earn their first win of the season. His strip-sack and return for touchdown was a key play in the game.
RAYMOND, Alberta — Junior linebacker Alex Stockton had a huge game defensively, junior linebacker Payton Cox made a momentum changing sack and fumble return for a score, and junior quarterback Declan Plummer scored three second half rushing touchdowns to help lead Sandpoint to a wild 35-30 win over Raymond on Friday night in Alberta, Canada.
The Bulldogs (1-3) finally broke through for a win, battling not just a game Raymond team, but a host of different and often baffling Canadian football rules and wider field.
“I’m learning rules on the fly. What an exciting game for these kids,” said Bulldogs head coach George Yarno, right before his team was treated to a post-game meal by Raymond in a classy display. “They played our National Anthem, hung our flag. We couldn’t feel more welcome.”
Raymond pounded the ball on the ground in the first quarter, and finished the first half 12-12 passing as the Bulldog defense adapted to the short screens and constant motion. The Comets finished with more than 300 yards through the air on the day.
Senior quarterback Robbie Johnson, who was sacked a number of times in the first half to put the offense behind the sticks, connected with Julian Barajas on a 37 yard strike and 7-3 lead, before Raymond answered with a score to take a 10-7 lead into half.
Johnson led a strong opening drive in the third quarter, with a couple of connections to Austin Greene, but injured his ankle on a 30 yard run down to the one yard line and left the game for good. Backup quarterback Declan Plummer came in and scored on a one yard draw to give the Bulldogs a 14-10 lead.
Arguably the biggest play of the game happened on the ensuing possession, when Cox, a returning all-league linebacker, came on a blitz and stripped the ball while sacking the quarterback, picking up the hop and rumbling in for a score and 21-10 lead and momentum.
Stockton, who plays both ways at linebacker and tight end, nabbed the first of his two interceptions, but Sandpoint couldn’t capitalize and Raymond scored to cut the lead to 21-17. Corner Sam Diercks, who had one of the biggest hits of the game, felt his team earned the win.
“All of our players were super in synch,” said Diercks. “Canadian football is weird, half the time we didn’t know the rules. It was definitely worth the trip.”
Aided by a 41 yard screen pass to Dustin Norris, the Bulldogs scored another insurance touchdown when Plummer broke out wide and raced in for a 14 yard score and 28-17 lead. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs lost another key player when running back Dillan Mitton left the game with an injury.
Raymond once again rallied to keep the game close, scoring from two yards out and missing the two point conversion for a 28-23 deficit.
Sandpoint again had an answer, when kicker Garrett Chandler, who was a perfect 5-5 on PATs, got a couple of carries at running back for 23 big yards, setting up another scramble wide by Plummer, who juked a defender at the five yard line and scored his third touchdown of the half from 24 yards out for a 35-23 lead.
“That kid’s got wheels. Holy Moly, he can run,” described Yarno of Plummer, who has been busy so far as a backup. “He did a heck of a job for us. That kid can flat fly.”
Thomas Riley had an interception for the Bulldogs to thwart a Raymond drive, but on the ensuing drive the Comets would score again to cut the lead to 35-30 with 1:10 left, before promptly recovering the onside kick.
With a win hanging in the balance, the opportunistic Bulldog defense once again came through with a big stop, as the playmaking Stockton batted down one pass and picked off another to effectively end the game.
“Alex flies around. He’s on the field almost every play,” claimed Yarno. “He doesn’t take a play off.”
From big special teams plays by Riley Anderson and Caleb Fingel, to a strong game catching, running and returning from Dutin Norris, to Garrett Chandler stepping up when needed, it was a real team effort for the win.
“It went well, we did good as a team executing plays,” said Norris. “We finally came together and got the win.”
Sandpoint hosts 5A Lewiston next Friday.
Sandpoint 0 7 21 7 — 35
Raymond 3 7 7 13 — 30
Ray — Field goal.
Spt — Julian Barajas 37 catch from Robbie Johnson (Garrett Chandler kick)
Ray — 20 yard TD catch (kick good)
Spt — Declan Plummer 1 run (Chandler kick)
Spt — Payton Cox 25 fumble return (Chandler kick)
Ray — 24 yard TD catch (kick good)
Spt — Plummer 14 run (Chandler kick)
Ray — 2 yard TD run (try failed)
Spt — Plummer 24 run (Chandler kick)
Ray — 5 yard TD catch