East Palestine lost to Windham back in August of 2024, but they didn't allow them the same satisfaction on Friday. The Bulldogs really took it to the Bombers for the full four quarters, racking up a 57-14 win. The Bulldogs pushed the score to 49-0 by the end of the third, a deficit the Bombers cut but never quite recovered from.
East Palestine's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Clark Rutledge, who rushed for 106 yards and three TDs on only eight carries, and also threw for 51 yards and one touchdown. Those three rushing touchdowns gave Rutledge a new career-high. Zach Schnelle was in the mix too, providing East Palestine with one score.
Another reason for the win was East Palestine's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for three sacks. Jordan Johnson refused to say out of the backfield, picking up a sack all by himself. East Palestine received some extra help from Schnelle, whose fumble return for a touchdown made for one of the most unforgettable moments.
East Palestine has started the season off flawlessly and has a 2-0 record to show for it. The wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered a grand total of 21 points this season. As for Windham, their loss dropped their record down to 0-2.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. East Palestine will challenge Bridgeport at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. As for Windham, they will face off against Jackson-Milton at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
