No. 4 'Dogs roll to first win in EMO

The state-ranked South Callaway Bulldogs didn't let a little lightning slow them down while making an emphatic debut in the Eastern Missouri Conference.

Senior quarterback Troy Hentges tossed three touchdown passes and also ran for two scores Friday night, helping propel unbeaten South Callaway to a 53-14 dismantling of the Clopton/Elsberry IndianHawks.

The Bulldogs (3-0) - ranked No. 4 in Class 2 - put up more than 50 points for the third time in as many games this season.

"It was a great feeling," South Callaway head coach Tim Rulo said. "Our goal was to make a good impression on the EMO, not only on the scoreboard but in how we handled ourselves on and off the field.

"It definitely didn't maybe happen the way I wanted it to because of how the weather was, but it was still nice to come away with the win."

The Bulldogs already owned a comfortable 26-0 lead when the game was stopped because of lightning early in the second quarter. When play resumed after a 35-minute delay, Hentges immediately scored on a 3-yard run with 8 minutes, 42 seconds to play in the first half.

Rulo revealed afterward that he had never previously experienced a weather delay in his career as a coach or player.

"It was definitely different for me, but the guys handled it well," Rulo said.

Senior slot receiver Cory Hanger delivered South Callaway's first score of the game on a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown with 9 minutes, 36 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Hentges then made it 13-0 when his screen pass to senior wide receiver Luke Horstman turned into a 40-yard catch-and-run for a score at the 6:51 mark.

Hentges followed that by scoring from 1 yard out with 2:57 left in the quarter, then connected with Hanger on a 20-yard touchdown strike with 11:54 to play in the first half. After Hentges' touchdown following the weather delay, senior wide receiver Tyler Adams and junior running back Ajay Cave supplied scoring runs of 13 and 15 yards, respectively, and the Bulldogs marched into halftime with a 46-0 advantage.

South Callaway's final score came on another Hentges screen pass, this one going to senior wide receiver Dylan Hare for a 16-yard touchdown with 9:08 to go in the third quarter.

Hentges completed all four of his pass attempts for 78 yards, the three scores and no interceptions. Hanger rushed for a team-high 58 yards and his one touchdown on just four carries as the Bulldogs finished with 234 yards of total offense, including 156 rushing.

"It was hard to tell (how well the offense played) with the elements, but I was happy with the way we threw the ball," Rulo said. "We're so blessed to have dynamic athletes who can make some big plays."

Clopton/Elsberry - which suffered its first loss of the season in slipping to 2-1 overall and 0-1 in the EMO - ended up with 154 yards of total offense, 92 coming from its running game. The IndianHawks broke into the scoring column when they returned a fumble for a touchdown in the third quarter, then scored on a touchdown run late in the game.

"Our defense played great and flew around," Rulo said.

The Bulldogs return home this week for an EMO matchup against Van-Far. The Indians were manhandled at home by Mark Twain - the conference's other new member - 50-0 on Friday night.

"The verdict is still out," Rulo said when asked to rate his team's progress through three games. "There are going to be tougher tests ahead, so we want to make sure we're ready to go."