PONTOTOC – Pontotoc High’s Canden Dallas and Randall Crayton proved to be quite the tandem on the football field Friday night.

Through Dallas’ arm and legs, and Crayton’s hands and legs, the Daily Journal’s fifth-ranked large school was able to knock off the Journal’s No. 1 Class 3A team, the Aberdeen Bulldogs, 24-14 at Pontotoc High School.

The two accounted for all three of the Warriors’ touchdowns, as their team improved to 2-0 on the season. Dallas was 11-for-19 passing for 107 yards.

“Canden had a really good game and threw some good balls,” said Pontotoc head coach Charlie Dampeer. “Randall ran the ball hard and we blocked well.”

After defensive back Jordan Hall’s first of two interceptions on the night, Dallas scored first for the Warriors, on a 4-yard run with 3:35 left in the first quarter.

Crayton, who had the most touches for Pontotoc, scored on a 33-yard run with 1:30 to go in the second quarter, and on an all-important 9-yard dash to provide some breathing room with 5:08 to play in the fourth quarter.

While Crayton was effective running and catching the ball – 27 carries for 182 yards and four catches for 19 yards – Aberdeen’s multi-purpose running back, Jamerson Love, struggled to get going. Love finished the first half with five carries for minus-three yards and one reception for nine yards.

He did have a nifty 80-yard kickoff return following a 24-yard Pontotoc field goal by Michael Bounds with just under eight minutes to go in the third quarter.

“The kickoff return was a killer,” Dampeer said.

Love catches fire

That return seemed to ignite Love as he would then gain significant yardage on a couple of screen passes and rushes. In fact, if Love hadn’t slipped or been tripped up on several plays, then he may still be running.

For a good part in the second half, though, the fortunes would turn for Love and the Pontotoc defense. The Warriors’ defensive personnel dealt with cramping up for much of the half.

“We had to play a couple of kids out of position,” Dampeer said.

Love pulled the Bulldogs within three, 17-14, on a 9-yard scamper and lateral to teammate Brandon Smith, who ran the remaining 16 yards for the score with 11:50 to play in the game.

Love would take the Bulldogs to the Pontotoc 2 on runs of 51 and 10 yards just inside five minutes to go. He would rush for 79 yards on just five carries and have two catches for 45 yards in the final two periods.

However, after Love’s huge runs to get into the red zone, Pontotoc nailed Aberdeen quarterback Aaron Andrews, who then fumbled close to the 20, where the Warriors’ Dimitri Hoover recovered.

After the game, Aberdeen head coach Chris Duncan and his staff met with his team for a good 15 minutes around the 35-yard line closest to the locker rooms.

Subsequently, Duncan wasn’t available for comment after his team dropped to 1-2 on the year after losing to bigger schools Columbus (Class 6A) and now Pontotoc (Class 4A).

The Bulldogs lone win came against Ray Brooks last week.

Pontotoc gets its crack at home next week against another pretty good 3A team in Ripley. Meanwhile, Aberdeen will be playing the A Game next Friday at rival Amory.