LYNNVILLE — It’s not how you start a game, but how you finish, and that’s a lesson the Cornersville Bulldogs learned the hard way in their 2022 opener.
Despite a strong showing that bled well into the third quarter, untimely penalties, turnovers and players plagued with cramps ultimately proved the Bulldogs undoing in a 31-20 loss in the Battle of Buford Station at Richland on Thursday night.
“I didn’t do a good enough job getting us ready to go. That falls on me as the head football coach,” first-year Cornersville coach Shelby Waddell said.
Things got off to a promising enough start for the Bulldogs as Blake Estes picked off a pass by Richland quarterback Bryce Miller and returned it inside the Raider 10-yard line.
But the drive stalled and the Bulldogs were unable to convert on fourth and goal, turning the ball over on downs.
Richland took the ensuing drive to mid-field and milked over three minutes off the clock before several Bulldogs broke into the backfield and blocked a punt, once again giving the Bulldogs prime field position.
This time, Cornersville took advantage of the short field and junior Ben Franklin capped the drive with a seven-yard touchdown run with 3:29 to go in the opening frame.
Richland answered in short order with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Bryce Miller, knotting the game at seven following the successful kick after.
After taking the following kickoff to the Raider 40-yard line, it was a perfect pass by quarterback Blaine Woodard to Kale Adcox that went 40 yards to the end zone as the clock read 0:00 in the opening frame.
Joseth Palma’s successful kick after put Cornersville up 14-7 by the end of the first quarter.
The Raiders again took another lengthy drive that went 11 plays over five minutes to the end zone, with the drive being aided on a key third down pass interference penalty against Cornersville.
The kick after, however, failed and the Bulldogs clung to a slim, 14-13 lead.
Cornersville used a steady mix of Franklin on the following drive, who had runs of 16 and 13 yards, before the Bulldogs fumbled, setting the Raiders up with a first down on their own 39-yard line.
Neither team was able to finish their final two drives of the half and Cornersville held a 14-13 lead at the intermission.
MIxing up the play calling, Franklin took several direct snaps on the Bulldogs best drive of the night on their first possession of the second half.
With Franklin taking a direct snap, the misdirection out of the backfield put the Raiders on their heels and Cornersville marched the ball 65 yards and drained nearly 10 minutes off the clock.
On the drive, Franklin totaled 56 yards on nine carries before Woodard capped the drive on a two-yard touchdown run up the gut.
The kick after the score, however, missed short and Cornersville held a 20-13 drive.
In the third, Richland ran just four plays, but the biggest came on a third-down, 63-yard touchdown bomb to Workman.
Richland’s kick after also missed, leaving the Bulldogs on top, 20-19.
Needing an answer for the shock play that pulled the Raiders within one, Woodard was flushed out of the pocket on third down and attempted to convert on a pass, but was picked off by Richland.
An unsportsmanlike penalty pushed the Raiders back to the 48-yard line.
Using a direct snap package to Workman, the Raiders answered and finally took the lead with 9:38 to go on a 15-yard touchdown run, giving the home team a 25-20 lead, following a failed two-point conversion attempt.
Still within one score of the lead, Cornersville attempted to get Franklin going again, but a bad snap on third down sent the junior running back scampering on a 13-yard loss to prevent a scoop and score.
That 13-yard loss prompted the first punt of the night and on the following drive, Workman notched his fourth touchdown of the night on a two-yard run to put the game out of reach.
While Cornersville had plenty of opportunities, untimely turnovers and cramps that plagued the entirety of the roster ultimately got the Bulldogs off their game plan late in the game.
Still, Cornersville totaled 220 yards of offense, with Franklin notching 120 yards on 20 carries.
Woodard completed 3-of-10 attempts for 52 yards and touchdown, along with a rushing touchdown as well.
Richland totaled 182 yards on the ground and finished with 313 yards of offense, with Miller completing 7-of-18 attempts for 131 yards.
With Thursday’s rivalry opener in the rear view mirror, the Bulldogs now set their sights on another rival next week—Forrest—and Waddell said his team will take the weekend and refocus in preparation for next week’s game.
“ We’ll come into work tomorrow and get back at it. We have enough to clean up for sure. We have to come back in with the right mindset on Monday,” he said.
The Bulldogs will return to Frog Bottom for their home opener and host their rivals from the north end of the county at 7 p.m.

Cornersville 14 0 6 0 — 20
Richland 7 6 6 12 — 31

First Quarter
C — Ben Franklin 13 run, (Joseth Palma kick), 3:29.
R — Ethan Workman 13 pass from Bryce Miller (Colton Trimble kick), 1:03.
C — Kale Adcox 40 pass from Blaine Woodard (Palma kick), 0:00.
Second Quarter
R — Andrew Huff 6 run, (kick failed), 7:36.
Third Quarter
C — Woodard 2 run, (kick failed), 2:46.
R — Workman 63 pass from Miller, (kick failed), 1:32.
Fourth Quarter
R — Workman 15 run, (2pt. run failed) 9:38.
R — Workman 2 run, (2pt. run failed), 3:13.