McARTHUR, Ohio -- As the Bulldogs drove down the field late in the fourth quarter, coach Ryan Adams called upon junior running back Mikel Casteel.
Casteel put his head down and lowered his shoulder as he carried the ball, dragging Vinton County defenders with him to the end zone.
The touchdown was a result of the Bulldogs' ability to make a timely play when they needed it. Also, it served as the finishing touch on their 28-14 win. When the pressure was on, Athens made plays both offensively and defensively that demoralized the Vikings.
“It's big, they’re big momentum shifts,” coach Ryan Adams said. “Certainly changes the momentum of the game.”
The Bulldogs found themselves in unfamiliar territory — facing adversity early in the game. However, they answered the call more than once.
The Athens defense forced a crucial turnover late in the first half as Vinton County was gaining momentum. Instead, it was Athens who rode the momentum into halftime.
“You don’t wanna have a situation where you let them get points and momentum on their side,” Adams said.
Two of the momentum-swinging plays came defensively. Another crucial stop came on a third-and-long late in the fourth quarter. If the Vikings had converted, the result of the game could have been much different.
Instead, Tanner Tritipo and Hunter Justis blew up the play at the line of scrimmage. The result was an ill-advised throw that landed incomplete at midfield, forcing a Viking punt.
It wasn’t just the defense making game-changing plays tonight. The usual offensive stars, Treyce Albin and Robert Dickelman, made their mark on crucial third- and fourth-down conversions.
The Bulldogs’ have ridden the playmaking of Albin and Dickelman to their 4-1 record. On Friday night, their offensive diversity was on display: Easton McCollum and Nick Barga scored their first touchdowns of the season, both in pressure-filled situations.
“We’ve got 4 to 6 different guys we can throw the ball to out there,” Adams said. “It’s huge to have experience out there on the edge to make plays.”
