Knights carries Bulldogs to win > Tailback runs for 102 yards, 3 TDs

FAIRFIELD — Junior tailback Kris Knights rushed for 102 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Lawrence Bulldogs to a 44-14 Pine Tree Conference win over Brewer Friday night at Pete Cooper Stadium.

Each team came into the game winless in three tries and looking for an offense. The Witches had scored only eight points while the Bulldogs had managed 32 in the first three games of the season.

“Our goal tonight was to get 30 points and 300 yards rushing,” said Lawrence coach Brad Bishop. “We got the 30 points. I don’t know about the 300 yards, but the kids responded real well.,”

Lawrence fell just short of its second goal, rolling up 284 yards on the ground and another 75 through the air. But a blitzing Bulldog defense kept Brewer’s single wing attack off-balance most of the night.

“They have some good players,” said Bishop. “[No.] 84’s [Rob Kee] a quick back. We wanted to get into the backfield and create some havoc. The plays take a little while to develop and it’s hard to throw from that formation.”

The Witches finished with 145 yards on the ground, 117 of them and a TD from Kee. They added another 61 yards through the air, but most of the yardage came after the Bulldogs had built a 36-0 lead.

In the first half, Brewer had but one first down to 11 for Lawrence. The Bulldogs also had a 195-20 advantage in yards gained while building a 22-0 lead at intermission. The Witches are still looking for their first win since rejoining the PTC last season.

Asked if his squad was frustrated at this point, first-year Brewer coach Josh Emmett said, “From the very beginning of the season, it was clear our kids had a lot of heart. Right now, they’re in a state of bewilderment. It’s up to us as coaches to teach them to win and teach them to take advantage of their opportunities. The problem with our game is not with our scheme. It’s how the kids respond and execute.”

Both teams started slowly in the first quarter, each team going three and out on its first two possessions. Lawrence then scored on its next three possessions.

The Bulldogs went 60 yards in nine plays, aided by a Brewer 15-yard pass interference penalty and capped by Knights’ first score from seven yards out with 30 seconds left in the period. Lawrence then went 69 yards in 14 plays, eating up 6:09 of clock time, with Knights bulling in from the 3. Quarterback Travis Hotham bootlegged for the two extra points to make it 14-0 at 3:39.

A Hotham to Jed Johnson 15-yard pass with seven seconds left in the half, and a Mike Nadeau points-after rush, gave the Bulldogs their 22-point lead at intermission.

Lawrence went up 30-0 when Knights scored on a 4-yard plunge and sophomore Don Thibodeau went in from the 19 as the Bulldogs first team watched from the sidelines.

Brewer then scored on two quick strikes, a Jason Largay 15-yard run and a Kee 45-yard sweep, before Lawrence sophomore Troy Savage went in from the 7.

Brewer Lawrence

L–Knights 7 run (kick failed)

L–Knights 3 run (Hothem run)

L–Johnson 15 pass from Hotham (Nadeau rush)

L–Knights 4 run (Hothem rush)

L–Thibodeau 19 run (rush failed)

B–Largay 15 run (Pickard rush)

B–Kee 45 run (rush failed)

L–Savage 7 run (Thibodeau rush)