Bulldogs fall to Grundy in final regular season game

GRUNDY – Turnovers and penalties doomed the Bulldogs in a 21-16 loss to the Goldne Wave Oct. 30.
The loss ended regular season play for the Bulldogs at 5-5. Grudny snapped a 23 game district losing streak and upped its record to 5-4. The GoldenWAve closes regular season play Nov. 6 at Richlands.
Both teams will count points and hope they make it into post season play. “We will practice a few times this week and see what happens,’ Tazewell Coach Bobby Wyatt said.
Grundy gambled and lost on its first possession, setting up a Tazewell score.  Tazewell’s defense wasn’t fooled by a fake punt and gave the Bulldogs the ball at the Golden wAve 45.
Mikal Moore ripped off a 29 yard run to give the Bulldogs a first down at the 16. Grundy tightened up the defense and the Bulldogs settled for a Luke Allison field goal.
The two teams exchanged punts before Grundy took advantage of a mistake to take the lead The Golden Wave picked off a pass on third and 11 and returned it 70 yards to the go ahead score.
Aaron McReynolds put Tazewell back on top with an eight yard run that capped a 46 yard drive late in the quarter. A 48 yard pass from John Kelly to Aaron Justus set Grundy up for the halftime lead.
Kelly got the score on a one yard run and Wayne Mutter kicked the extra point to put the Wave up 14-9 at the half. Allison gave Tazewell good field position with a 44 yard return of the second half kick off.
A fumble stifled that momentum and put Grundy in shape for its final touchdown of the game. Starting from the Tazewell 39, the Wave drove to paydirt in six plays with a 12 yard Kelly to Justus pass accounting for the points.
Tazewell closed to within five points with 7:59 left in the game. Moore and McReynolds ran hard as the Bulldogs drove 62 yards. McReynolds got his second touchdown of the night on a nine yard run.
Tazewell’s defense came up big and got the offense one final shot with 3:37 left in the game. Taking over at its 39, Tazewell drove to the Grundy 21 where a pass interception on fourth down ended the threat.