STAUNTON – Staunton fans were charged and ready for a new football season to kick off on Friday evening, but the weather wouldn’t cooperate. The game was scrubbed and delayed until Saturday.

Once again, the fans gathered to watch Bulldogs played their first game of the season against Carlinville.

The game started with the Bulldogs receiving the ball. The drive ended with Staunton punting the ball.

Carlinville would end up having to punt the ball back to the Bulldogs.

Staunton drove the ball down the field and attempted a field goal which went wide of the uprights.

Staunton would get the ball back after a Carlinville punt. The Bulldogs would punt the ball back to Carlinville, but some miscommunication on the Cavaliers end gave the ball back to Staunton deep in Carlinville’s end of the field at the end of the first quarter.

SHS Senior Cody Best would score Staunton’s first touchdown of the season. The score put the Bulldogs on top 6-0.

Staunton lead was short lived as the Cavaliers returned the ball 95 yards during the kick off to take the lead 6-7.

The Bulldogs could not move the ball down the field and ended up punting once more.

Carlinville passed the ball for a touchdown but a costly penalty gave the Bulldogs a huge break and took the points off the board.

Staunton got the ball back after a Carlinville punt.

After series of punts by both teams, Staunton got the ball back late in the second quarter with an interception by Aaron Foster. The Staunton team was unable to score any more points before the end of the half.

Carlinville got the ball to start the second half, but fumbled the ball early in the quarter.

Staunton would once again make use of the turn over to put points on the board. The Bulldogs failed to convert for two points after the touchdown to make the score 12-7.

Carlinville would end up getting a field goal to pull with in two points of the Bulldogs in the fourth quarter.

The game turned into a battle of defense for the Cavaliers as the officials took measurements twice in a row to determine if the Bulldogs reached the first down. Carlinville’s defense held as Staunton turned the ball over on a failed fourth down conversion with less than 30 seconds left in the game.

Carlinville would fail to move the ball giving the Bulldogs their first win of the season.

The Bulldogs play their next game at home against East Alton Wood River on Friday at 7 p.m.

Other local scores throughout the Riverbend were: Alton 34 - Quincy 12, Waterloo 28 - Southwestern 8, Hillsboro 39 - Gillespie 0. The wicked weather which pounded on Staunton also pounded on Bethalto. The Eagles were defeated by DuQuoin 34 -7.