The Cornersville Bulldogs finished off a three-game home stand in style Friday night, walloping Perry County 45-0 on homecoming at Frog Bottom.

“We talked a lot about not losing our focus,” Cornersville coach Gerard Randolph said. “We want you to enjoy homecoming, but at the end of the day there is a football game that has to be played.”

Cornersville has won four games in a row and are off to their first 5-1 mark to start a season since 2007.

“We wanted to keep this winning streak going and keep doing what we have been doing, playing good football,” Randolph said. “The guys came out and really did a good job of that tonight.”

Randolph’s squad was rewarded for their fine play with an appearance in the Associated Press’ Top 10 Poll at the number nine spot.

In a dominating effort on both sides of the ball, the Bulldogs outgained the Vikings 414-to-80, had 18 first downs to Perry County’s five, and played the entire second half with a running clock via the 35-point mercy rule.

The Bulldogs rushed the ball 32 times for 397 yards with senior Kolbe McMahon turning in a career night with eight carries for 162 yards, including touchdown runs of 62 and 52 yards.

“With homecoming, we were outside all day, we were tired, but coach got us in there (locker room), sat us down and got us ready for the game,” McMahon said. “I haven’t really been healthy in two years, but I feel like I’m getting it back.”

“Tonight was the first night I didn’t wear the brace on my knee and I felt like my old self. I had to make my way back up to starting again at practice and I did that and now I’m starting again.”

Cameron Whitaker toted the rock six times for 72 yards and a TD and quarterback Eli Woodard had just three carries for 58 yards.

Brady Calahan had four touches for 24 yards, Darien Bush rushed it twice for 21 and a touchdown, Peyton Finch three times for 21 yards and a score, Alex Hilliard had three carries for 20 yards, and Trenten Warren ran the ball two times for 15 yards and a TD.

“That’s what we do, we run the ball,” Randolph said. “I’m very proud of the guys coming out and setting the tone early, we didn’t do that last week----we harped on it and the guys listened to us and came out and executed tonight.”

The Cornersville defense was dominant to say the least as Perry County had the ball seven times in the first half and had three three-and-outs, a lost fumble, an interception, a Whitaker punt return for a touchdown, and ran out of time on their last drive of the half.

“Everybody stepped up tonight, what we have to do is focus on your job and hope the other guy does their job and we did that tonight,” Woodard said. “We kept them under 100 yards in rushing and passing, we played an all-around great game by everybody, even when the young guys came in.”

On the other side of the ball, the Bulldogs offense had six series with five ending in touchdowns and one lost fumble that was made up for on a CJ Coble interception two plays after the Cornersville miscue.

“Trenten, Darien, Kolbe, Cameron, Peyton, they are beasts and they control the tempo of the game,” Woodard said. “And we have to give credit to our linemen, they created huge holes for us tonight.”

It was 39-0 at the half.

The Bulldogs’ defense did not let up in the second half, forcing Perry County to punt on all four of its possessions.

The lone second half score for the Bulldogs came with 1:52 remaining in the third quarter when McMahon capped off his night with a 52-yard touchdown scamper on the first play of the drive.

Randolph played mostly the junior varsity squad in the fourth quarter.

The road does not get any easier for the Dawgs (5-1, 3-0) as they travel to seventh-ranked Fayetteville (5-1, 3-1) in a Region 5A tilt that could almost clinch the region title for Cornersville with a win.

“We control our destiny,” Randolph said. “We gotta keep it going.”

Fayetteville has beaten Cornersville the last two years, but Woodard and the Bulldogs are hoping to change that.

“It’s a big game against Fayetteville City,” Woodard said. “It feels great knowing that you are going in a game not to lose, we think we are going to win everyone one of them.”

Perry County 0 0 0 0-0

Cornersville 14 25 6 0-45

Scoring

First Quarter

Cornersville-Cameron Whitaker 5-yard run, Adam Qualls PAT, 11:13

Cornersville-Peyton Finch 12-yard run, Qualls PAT, 6:40

Second Quarter

Cornersville-Darien Bush 3-yard run, PAT NG

Cornersville-Kolbe McMahon 62-yard run, PAT NG

Cornersville-Trenten Warren 8-yard run, PAT NG

Cornersville-Whitaker 53-yard punt return, Qualls PAT

Third Quarter

Cornersville-McMahon 52-yard run, PAT RUN NG

Total Yards-Perry County 80, Cornersville 414

Rushing-Perry County 64, Cornersville 397

Passing-Perry County 16, Cornersville 17

First Downs-Perry County 5, Cornersville 18

Turnovers-Perry County 2, Cornersville 2

Penalties-Perry County 3-25, Cornersville 3-20

Cornersville Offense

Rushing-Kolbe McMahon 8-162-2TD, Cameron Whitaker 6-72-TD, Eli Woodard 3-58, Brady Calahan 4-24, Darien Bush 2-21-TD, Peyton Finch 3-21-TD, Alex Hilliard 3-20, Trenten Warren 2-15-TD, Trace Griest 1-4

Passing-Eli Woodard 2-2-17, Henlee Mitchell 0-1

Receiving-Payton Cooper 1-12, Ryan Prosser 1-5

Kick Returns

Kickoffs-Kolbe McMahon 1-28

Punts-Cameron Whittaker 2-53

Kicking

Punting-Peyton Finch 1-27

PAT-Adam Qualls 3-6

Defense

Tackles-CJ Coble 5 (INT), Darien Bush 3.5, Kolbe McMahon 2.5, Houston Williams 2.5, Blake Pickett 2.5, Cameron Whitaker 2 (FUM REC), Devin Baus 2, Ryan Prosser 1.5, Trenten Warren 1.5, Brice Dunkleman 1.5, Devin Massengill 1, Trenton Posey 1, Peyton Finch .5, Brock Powers .5, Logan Courtamanche .5