FOOTBALL: Bulldogs lose high-scoring affair at Castle 56-49

By KEVIN HARRIS

kevinharris1972@gmail.com

NEWBURGH – New Albany came up short in a shootout last Friday at Castle Stadium, falling to Class 5A No. 4 Castle 56-49.

At the 5:33 mark of the third quarter, the Bulldogs (1-1) took a 42-35 lead when senior running back Darquan Richardson made a 33-yard touchdown run.

But the Knights (2-0) answered by scoring three consecutive touchdowns to go up 56-42 with 5:02 left in regulation. Two of the scores were on TD receptions by senior wide receiver Triston Wilkinson.

With 3:34 remaining, Richardson had a 49-yard TD run to slice the New Albany deficit to 49-42.

The Bulldogs looked like they were going to have a chance to make a potential game-winning drive. But with 1:50 left, they muffed a punt return. The Knights recovered the fumble and ran out the clock after that.

Richardson ran the ball 31 times for 250 yards with four touchdowns. New Albany quarterback Dylan Clark completed 18-of-24 passes for 298 yards and two touchdown passes. Bulldog junior receiver Devon Gummer made 10 receptions for 192 yards and caught both of Clark’s TD strikes. New Albany accumulated 629 total yards, 331 coming on the ground.

Knights’ quarterback Brycen Moore threw for 362 yards on 24-of-31 passing and five TD tosses. Wilkinson made 13 receptions for 276 yards. He caught four of Moore’s five TD passes.

The Bulldogs will host Jennings County (1-1) at 7 p.m. Friday. It will be the Hoosier Hills Conference opener for both squads.

CASTLE 56, NEW ALBANY 49

New Albany         14 14  14   7-49

Castle                   28    7   7 14-56

First quarter

C – Brycen Moore 1 run (Brock Wandel kick), 10:30.

NA – DeTre Payton 29 run (Noah Litzelswope kick), 8:27.

C – Triston Wilkinson 30 pass from Moore (Wandel kick), 7:56.

NA – Devon Gummer 38 pass from Dylan Clark (Litzelswope kick), 5:38.

C – Wilkinson 73 pass from Moore (Wandel kick), 4:05.

C – Cale Mattingly 26 pass from Moore (Wandel kick), 3:17.

Second quarter

NA – Darquan Richardson 4 run (Litzelswope kick), 11:29.

NA – Gummer 23 pass from Clark (Litzelswope kick), 6:51.

C – Jadrien Higginson 3 run (Wandel kick), :38.

Third quarter

NA – Richardson 22 run (Litzelswope kick), 9:56.

NA – Richardson 33 run (Litzelswope kick), 5:33.

C – Wilkinson 51 pass from Moore (Wandel kick), 4:11.

Fourth quarter

C – Wilkinson 10 pass from Moore (Wandel kick), 10:51.

C – Higginson 2 run (Wandel kick), 5:02.

NA – Richardson 49 run (Litzelswope kick), 3:34.