Clayton News Daily

Photo by Derrick Mahone Mount Zion offensive linemen take a rest while the team’s defense is on the field in the Bulldogs’ 35-15 loss to Tri-Cities on Friday at Tara Stadium.

Friday’s battle of the Bulldogs ended with one team moving on to next week’s playoffs and the other ending its season with a seventh loss.

Unfortunately, Mount Zion was the latter.

Tri-Cities defeated Mount Zion 35-14 at Tara Stadium and advances to next week’s first-round playoff as the No. 3 seed from Region 4-AAAA.

“We took the season one game at a time in order to get prepared for this moment,” Tri-Cities coach Keith Miller said. “We’re trying to make it to the Super Bowl. We’re trying to win state.”

Tri-Cities took only six plays, all on the ground, to score its first touchdown on an 18-yard scramble by quarterback Oscar Ross, who also scored on a 3-yard run later in the quarter.

Mount Zion quarterback Montel Buchanan followed Tri-Cities’ opening drive with a rushing score of his own from 26 yards to make the score 7-6 following an unsuccessful two-point conversion.

Touchdown rushes by Tri-Cities’ Roger Ward and Xavier Roberson put the game out of reach. Ward scored on a 51-yard run and Roberson scored from 29 yards.

Jeremiah Walker closed out the Tri-Cities scoring with a 15-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Mount Zion finished the season with a 3-7 record and misses the postseason for the second straight season. Tri-Cities is 8-2, which is its most wins since the 2002 season.