GREENWOOD, S.C. — For the first time in nearly two seasons, the Bulldogs and head coach Cedrick Jeter loss a regular season game. Newberry(1-1) fell on the road to Emerald(2-0) by the score of 70-34 on Friday, Aug. 28.
Friday night’s loss was unfamiliar territory for the Bulldogs because they had their 16-game regular season win streak snapped by the Vikings in just the second week of the season.
It was a rough night for the Bulldogs from start to finish with a nearly two-hour weather delay, and then their young squad not having any answers for the Vikings’ offense.
Emerald score two touchdowns in the opening quarter to take a 14-7 lead into the second period. Things didn’t get any better for the visiting Bulldogs in the second quarter as the home team would add three more touchdowns to the scoreboard and would take a 35-20 lead into halftime.
The Bulldogs’ defense wouldn’t have any answers for Emerald’s offense after the half and gave up another 21 points in third quarter. Newberry’s offense showed some fight and would score two touchdowns of their own in the third period, but that wouldn’t be enough to overcome the Vikings.
Emerald would add two more touchdowns to the scoreboard in the fourth quarter to cruise to their second win of the season and hand the Bulldogs their first regular season loss since week five of the 2024 season.
The young Bulldogs were expected to have their ups and downs this season with the youth on the roster so this loss came as a surprise to no one and now they will need to regroup. Newberry will host Clinton this Friday, Sept. 4 at home for the 100th annual meeting between the two schools in the ‘Battle of the Belt.’