Lee Trawick
reporter2@riverbendnews.org
The Suwannee Bulldogs hosted Flagler Palm Coast on Friday, Aug. 25, in a matchup they were eager to get underway. After a sub-par preseason performance and a forfeit by Palm Coast a season ago, the Dogs were looking forward to getting on the field.
The game began just how the Bulldogs had drawn it up. On the team's first series from midfield, quarterback Kodi Lang backed up in the pocket and found M.J. Rossin in the flats on the Suwannee sideline for a short screen pass. From that point, Rossin did the rest on his way to a 49- yard touchdown reception, giving his Dogs a 7-0 lead. Later in the first quarter, Suwannee squandered an early opportunity to add points to their lead when their special teams blocked Palm Coast's punt deep in Bulldog territory.
Then, midway through the first quarter, Mother Nature decided to halt the game for over an hour before play could resume. Entering the 2023 season, the Dogs had questions about their special teams' game stemming from their replacement of dynamic stars Braxtyn Green and Jay Smith. However, it did not take long after the weather delay to put those questions to rest for the moment.
Jace Moran kicked a challenging 45-yard field goal late in the first quarter to give the Bulldogs a 10-0 lead. His kick was exciting, considering he was not listed on the Bulldogs' summer depth chart. He joins A.J. Hitt in the punting and kicking duties this season.
Likewise, L.J. Smith used the remainder of the game to show he'd arrived. With star running back Marquavious Owens sidelined with an ankle injury, Smith proved he could fill the spot when he carried the ball 77 yards on the night, including a 51-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, giving the Bulldogs a 33-6 lead.
Rossin also seemed poised to answer one of the lingering questions of who will replace Smith on both sides of the ball. Less than a minute into the game, Rossin put everyone on notice. Then, later in the third quarter, he came up big again for the Dogs on defense when he read the play right, picked off the opposing team's pass, and returned it 30 yards for his second touchdown of the night.
Lang led the Bulldogs with 46 yards rushing and 61 yards in the air, with a rushing touchdown and another touchdown through the air.
The Bulldogs will next host the Hamilton County Trojans on Friday, Sept. 1. They are coming off their first season opener win since 2015 as they defeated the Jefferson County Tigers, 32-20. Kickoff will occur at 7:30 p.m. at Paul Langford Stadium, located at 302 Parshley St. SW, in Live Oak.