Bulldogs believed, now in semifinals

Call it the ultimate cliche, but with the state semifinals just a day away, it seems likely the only people who thought Rockdale would still be playing on the first Friday in December are the Bulldogs players and coaches.

Certainly there didn't exist a statewide confidence that a team who had to finish the regular season on a six-game winning streak just to make the playoffs as the No. 3 seed from Region 8-AAAA could keep winning once the post-season began. Rockdale still had its doubters even after traveling to No. 2-seed Banneker in the first round and blowing out the Trojans, then ending Hiram's perfect season with a dominant defensive effort in a second-round win.

And surely the Bulldogs couldn't travel south and defeat a powerful Westside-Macon team in the quarterfinals. Yet when the seconds ticked down in Macon, there was Rockdale preparing for the semifinals after a 23-7 victory.

"Nobody believed that we would even make it this far," junior lineman James Toole said. "It's huge. Making it to the semis is huge for the school."

Coach Mike Etheridge has been saying for months that his team was the best in the region. Even when his team struggled to a 1-3 start with head-scratching losses to Heritage and Salem, Etheridge and his team refused to believe they were anything but what they are today -- a team capable of winning a state title.

"I think our kids expect to win," said Etheridge. "We want to make sure we get to the final two and hopefully win it from there."

Toole said his team has been confident of its talent from the start of the season.

"When we went against that Madison County team (in the season opener), we knew it right from the get-go," he said. "We want to go all the way."

Bulldogs running, stopping opponents' run game

The strength of the Bulldogs offense -- the run game -- has been excellent through the first three rounds with heroes emerging each night.

Rockdale is averaging 170 yards per game on the ground with a high of 185 coming in the second-round win over Hiram. In the first round victory over Banneker, Rashawn Binns and quarterback Isaiah Gresham each had two rushing touchdowns. The duo picked up where they left off against Hiram as Binns had a game-high 78 yards and Gresham ran for 53 yards and the final touchdown.

Last weekend against Westside, Tavaris Williams gobbled up a single-game playoff high 93 yards, including four runs of 18 or more yards. Donta London and Darius Lucas have each contributed a rushing touchdown, and Kyle Tippins is always a threat to break a huge run.

"We're running five or six (running backs) in there, which I think is going to help us down the stretch," Etheridge said. "We just try to take what the defense gives us. They've been trying to load up on the outside game, and we've been fortunate to hit the traps inside."

Meanwhile, the run defense has been stingy. After allowing 132 yards on the ground to Banneker, the Bulldogs have surrendered a combined 91 yards in the last two rounds, including a paltry 23 on 27 carries to Hiram. Three opponents have averaged a meager 2.7 yards per carry in 12 playoff quarters.

"Defense wins championships, (and) we spend a lot of time on our defense," Etheridge said. "I think if it comes down to it, I think our defense will step up. They have all through the playoffs and all year, really."

Gresham making throws count

Quarterback Isaiah Gresham hasn't thrown a lot in the postseason, but when he has it's been mostly positive for the senior.

After an excellent opener against Banneker (4-for-5, 162 yards, all four completions for 27 yards or more), Gresham slumped against Hiram in the early going -- he completed one of his first five throws with an interception -- but finished strong, completing his last six passes and helping Rockdale sustain drives in a 21-7 victory.

Gresham didn't throw much at all in Macon, completing 3 of 7 passes, but with a ground game that gobbled up 178 yards, not much was needed through the air.

Have victories, will continue to travel

Rockdale continues to amaze on the road. Being one of only two No. 3 seeds to get past the first round and the only No. 3 to get to the quarterfinals, the Bulldogs have had to familiarize themselves with Georgia's highways.

It hasn't been a problem.

With road wins over Banneker, Hiram and Westside-Macon, which followed a 4-1 regular season away from home, Rockdale seems more than capable of winning two more games away from Reid Memorial Stadium.


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