Marianna opened the regular season before a crowd of supporters ready for a successful season and the Bulldogs didn’t disappoint. After an initial Tiger score that put them ahead, 7-0, the Bulldogs went to work and handed Chipley a 34-14 loss.
Following their score, the Tigers kicked off to Marianna with Damone Rolle lighting up the crowd and the scoreboard as he took the pigskin 79 yards for a touchdown. Caleb Torbett was perfect through the upright and the Dawgs had tied it up at seven. That score remained until the second quarter when junior quarterback Brady Donaldson found Caleb Torbett for a 39-yard pass for the Bulldogs second score of the game. Torbett kept his record perfect on the night, giving the Bulldogs a 14-7 lead.
With 7:40 left in the first half, it was again Rolle finding the endzone untouched on a 40-yard run. Torbett made it three-for-three and the Dawgs had a 21-7 lead.
In the third quarter 7:41, Rolle kept it on the ground and went 24 yards for his third touchdown of the night. It was four-for-four for Torbett and the Dawgs were up 28-7.
Chipley answered with 8:34 left to play in the third quarter, a 16-yard pass from Isaac Berry to Trenton Balkcom and a perfect point after attempt narrowed the lead to 28-14.
Marianna answered with the final touchdown of the game with 4:40 left to go in the game. Elijah Peterson scampered for 34 yards to the end zone. The point after did not make it through the uprights but the Bulldogs had more than enough for the win.
The Bulldogs tallied 351 yards of offense with 265 yards on the ground and 86 through the air.
Chipley was held to 176 yards on offense with 111 yards on the ground and 65 through the air.
Damone Rolle led the Bulldogs with 118 yards on eight carries, two touchdowns and a 79-yard kickoff return.
Marianna will be on the road Friday night as they travel to Port St. Joe for a 6:30 p.m. C.S.T.
