Dogs Dominate Jags

By Clint Cox

For the past several years East Gadsden has been one of the power house teams in the Panhandle. But the Jaguars, along with Rickards, dropped this year from Class 4A to Class 3A and that made some speculate that the Marianna Bulldogs might have a much tougher time making it a three peat of going to Lakeland for the FHSAA Final Four. The Bulldogs took an impressive first step on that tough road as they manhandled the visiting Jaguars in the Regional Quarter-finals last Thursday night. Marianna dominated the game from start to finish en route to a 63-43 win. But the playoff road only got tougher as the win over the Jaguars advanced Marianna to take on one of the top teams in the nation in Tallahassee Rickards on Tuesday night. (See story on page one of sports).

Marianna jumped to a quick lead as Kruize Pinkins and Kendall Leeks paced the Bulldogs to a 10-0 lead. The Bulldogs also held the Jaguars scoreless for the first five minutes of the game. Pinkins and Leeks combined for 15 first quarter points to give Marianna a 17-8 lead at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter Marianna poured it on as Tre Jackson came off the bench to heat things up. A Jackson free throw and then a lay up gave the Bulldogs a 23-11 lead. Moments later Marianna got a three pointer from R.J. Bowers from one corner and then another three pointer from Jackson in the other corner. That gave the Bulldogs their largest lead of the half as their lead swelled to 33-13. But the Jaguars closed out the first half with a 6-0 run to close the gap to 33-19 at the halftime break.

For as good as Marianna played in the first half the first five minutes of the third quarter were a different story. East Gadsden turned up the defensive pressure and the Bulldogs went ice cold. The Jaguars went on an 8-0 run to start the second half while Marianna went scoreless until 3 ½ minutes left in the third quarter. East Gadsden had cut the Bulldog lead to 33-27 before the drought ended on a Pinkins free throw. Marianna then went on a run themselves, hitting six unanswered points. When the third quarter ended the Bulldogs held a 40-29 lead.

Marianna showed they could turn up the defensive pressure as they came up with several steals to start the fourth quarter. Jackson nailed a three pointer from the corner and then came up with a steal that was finished off by a left handed layup to give Marianna a 47-31 lead. Jackson added two free throws with 5 ½ minutes to play to give Marianna a 20 point lead at 51-31. A Pinkins dunk got the Bulldog faithful on their feet and pushed the lead to 23 points. From there Marianna went on to the 20 point victory.

Jackson led the Bulldogs, who improved to 25-3, on the season with 19 points while Pinkins followed with 15 and Leeks added 13.