The Rockdale County Bulldogs opened the 2011 season with a 17-13 win over Winder-Barrow at Reid Stadium Friday night but had to overcome four turnovers and 12 penalties to do it.

"Our kids played really well the entire game," Rockdale coach Michael Etheridge said. "The offensive line [mostly sophomores] just kept pounding all night."

Winder-Barrow got on the board first after recovering a fumbled punt at the Rockdale County 28. Facing a fourth-and-5 at the 22-yard line, sophomore quarterback Christian Hodge threw a strike to Dante Jones on a crossing route with 7:11 left in the first quarter. Quintin Long kicked the extra-point and the Barrow county team led 7-0.

Despite a 39-yard pass completion from Zach Powell to Anthony Maul, the next Rockdale County possession stalled after an illegal procedure penalty and a 10-yard loss when Powell slipped while looking for an open receiver.
Rockdale County scored its first touchdown on a wild play in the middle of the second quarter. Hodge completed a pass over the middle but the ball popped loose.

Rockdale's Devonte Walters picked up the loose ball and raced for end zone. As he fought to get across the goal line, Walters was hit by several Winder-Barrow tacklers at once. The ball popped loose again and Winder-Barrow players pounced, only to watch the ball squirt free. Rockdale's Nick Coggins emerged with the ball and a touchdown. Devon Dawkins kicked the extra-point to tie the score with 9:10 left in the half.

The next Winder-Barrow possession came to a premature end when Caleb Barrett picked off a pass and returned it to the Bulldoggs' 25. A penalty moved the ball 10 yards deeper, but the Winder-Barrow defense stiffened. Dawkins was close enough, though, and gave Rockdale County the lead with a 34-yard field goal.

When the second half got underway, it became apparent that Winder-Barrow had no answer for Rockdale's running back tandem of Deon Holder and Demonta Graham. The two backs combined for 207 yards on 21 carries in the second half with fifty of the coming on Rockdale's first play when Holder slipped into the secondary and raced all the way to the Winder-Barrow 32. Seven plays later, D.J.
Ardister scored from one yard out on fourth-and-goal.
Dawkins finished off a perfect night with another extra point and Rockdale now led 17-7 with most of the third quarter left to play.

Still, the lead seemed much bigger than it actually was as the Rockdale defense shut down the Winder-Barrow running attack.

Late in the fourth quarter, Winder-Barrow recovered another fumble and mounted a 61-yard drive the culminated in a two-yard plunge by Jamonte Riden. A bad snap spoiled the extra-point attempt, but the Bulldoggs were within a score with more than a minute left.
Onside kick time.

But as is usually the case, the onside kick rolled harmlessly into the arms of a Rockdale County player and time ran out for Winder-Barrow.