"It was great, really needed it": Green QB Robby Klockner Rallies the Bulldogs to Win Against Perry (Off The Leash | 10/8/22)
The Bulldogs keep their playoff hopes alive with a win against Perry.
Coming off a rough loss to the Louisville Leopards last week, the Bulldogs needed to get a win back in order to get back into the playoff picture. That’s exactly what happened. With a great offense led by Bulldogs QB Robby Klockner (#19), the Leopards were tamed in regulation, 38-35. With the game becoming more competitive by the quarter, Perry started to creep back into the game after a recovered onside kick in the 4th. However, the Bulldogs kept them in check and ran the clock out for a safe win. When asked about how it felt to keep Green’s playoff hopes alive, Klockner said, "It was great, really needed it." The Bulldogs did in fact need it, because now if Green wins out, they have a chance to make the playoffs.
Perry’s strongest attribute (and really their only attribute) was their run game, led by RB Deandre Church (#22). He ran the ball 31 times, gaining 194 yards and 4 touchdowns. Church was fast and often exploded out of a pile of players to get a big gain. However, Green stepped up their defense and kept him to only a few big plays. Green also ran the ball frequently, with RB Antonio Martin (#3) getting crucial yards throughout the game. Martin picked up 2 receiving TDs as well, proving to be a favorite target for Klockner.
On top of a great game for Martin, Green WR Zach Baglia (#13) had one of his best performances to date. With 14 receptions for 233 yards and 2 TDs, he is a valuable asset to Klockner. Their connection is unlike any other, with Klockner sometimes throwing it to him without caring if he’s covered. Baglia just always brings it in. Zach is one of the best players on the roster, usually being Klockner's first read. It’s also worth commenting on his toughness, both mental and physical. Baglia had an injury scare in the 4th, but came back in a few plays later like nothing was bothering him. Hopefully, next week’s game will be even better for him, and Green will need him against Hoover.
Overall, this was a much needed win for Green. After 3 weeks of losing, they needed this to get their season back on track. After the game I asked Green’s head coach, Mark Geis, about how it felt to be back on track. "I'm just really proud of our guys," he said, "because the number one thing we wanted to do all week was ignore everything outside our locker room and answer the call from adversary. "That’s a life thing, and we said we couldn’t do it for four days. We felt like we did it for four days in the past couple of weeks, this was the fifth day. Beat them on the fifth day."
When Green travels to North Canton next week, it’s a must-win for playoff contention. The preview will be out next Wednesday.