09/08/2023
BY JACK BULLOCK
STAUNTON - After a 0-2 start to the season where they were outscored 61-7 combined, the Staunton Bulldogs were in search of a much needed victory on Friday night when they hosted South Central Conference rival Hillsboro.

The Bulldogs found the right formula to pick up a key league win.

Coach Austin Sherfy got a strong rushing performance by his club and Staunton took full advantage of the Hiltoppers' turnover problem in a 35-21 win.

The triumph matches the Bulldogs' win total from a season ago as the squad now has a win to build upon the remainder of the season.

“This is a great start for us. We wrote 'belief' on the chalkboard in the locker-room. This is the first time in my tenure that we finally started believing that we can win against these playoff teams,” said Coach Sherfy, who is a graduate of Staunton. “It's a great start for the year.”

Staunton forced three key turnovers by Hillsboro as head coach Joe Reed's club fell to 1-2 on the season.

Five-eight senior running back Trace Trettenero produced 154-yards on 13 carries for Staunton.

But his long touchdown run in the fourth quarter was a back-breaking blow to the Hillsboro chances.

Senior quarterback Dalton Bianco passed for 103-yards, including a pair of touchdown passes while also rushing for 58-yards on 13 tries.

Braden Buffington, a 6-3 senior, caught four of the Bianco passes for 62-yards, including a second quarter TD catch.

However the most important number on the night was three.

The amount of turnovers committed by the Hiltoppers.

Coach Reed's club coughed up a pair of fumbles and an interception in the loss on Friday.

Hillsboro moved the ball on the Bulldogs but the mistakes were costly.

Junior running back Drake McSperritt rushed 18-times for 98-yards and a touchdown while senior Zander Wells added 79-yards on just seven attempts.

Senior quarterback Jace Stewart added yards on the ground (16) and the air (68) but an interception along with one of the two fumbles (McSperritt was the other) doomed the Hiltoppers on Friday.

The first fumble by Hillsboro stopped the team's opening drive, which subsequently turned into Staunton points.

McSperritt fumbled on the Hiltoppers third play from scrimmage, which gave the Bulldogs the ball on its own 49-yard line.

A Bianco to Buffington swing pass to the right side of the field turned into the game's first tally.

Buffington took the throw in stride and alluded a pair of defenders before sprinting down the sideline for a 27-yard score for a 7-0 lead with 10:50 left in the first quarter.

Hillsboro responded with a nine-play, 75-yard drive.

Lessman finished off the drive with a seven-yard run to the right side of the endzone on fourth-and-goal.

The PAT evened the score at 7-7 with 3:26 remaining.

Both teams moved the ball in the second quarter but neither could put up points as the half ended at 7-7.

Things got quite interesting in the second half.

Staunton broke the tie by opening the third quarter with an extended drive.

Bianco found senior Drake Rose for a 19-yard pass and catch during the scoring march along with 17-yards on a pair of rushes.

Buffington got open in the left side of the endzone and Bianco found him on a first-down pass that went for a 15-yard touchdown as Buffington went up and got the ball away from a Hillsboro defender for a 14-7 advantage with 7:34 left in the third quarter.

It took Hillsboro just over three minutes to respond with points.

A 73-yard drive was highlighted by the scoring play on a pass from Stewart to Wells.

In what appeared to by a play headed for disaster Stewart, who was pressured in the backfield, heaved a long pass down the middle of the field.

Wells went up, battled through the Staunton defender for the ball and then went the remainder of a 58-yard scoring play.

The Hiltoppers, however, missed the PAT which resulted in a 14-13 deficit with 4:12 left in the quarter.