The Clinton County Bulldogs opened its season Friday night by making the trip to neighboring Wayne County to take on the Cardinals.

Clinton County fell early in the contest as Wayne County scored three touchdowns in its first four plays of the game.

The Bulldogs lost the contest by a final score of 49-0.

“We were outmatched by them. We are putting in a new offense and defense and during the first couple of plays we were lining up in the wrong place,” Head Coach Jamie Miller said. “There was a lot of fundamental things that we didn’t do and we have to correct that immediately. It’s never good to have a 49-0 loss, but when that happens there is a lot you can improve on.”

This week the Bulldogs will concentrate on mistakes made against Wayne County and prepare for this week’s battle against Trimble County on Friday.

“We will watch the film and point out every mistake we can and continue to try and get better,” Miller said. “I think we have a schedule that is favorable to us this year,” Miller said. “Wayne County is a very solid football team. They are probably the second or third best we will play all year. They are a lot larger than us, they have the numbers, they have a larger enrollment in their school and they have been doing this for a lot longer than us … quite a bit longer actually.”

Miller thinks inexperience is still playing a large factor in his team, but he is confident his team will be able to matchup with a team like Wayne County in the future.

“Realistically we shouldn’t be able to match up with them, but we will be able to later,” Miller said. “It won’t be too many years when we will be able to match up with them.”

“I tell them all week long that they will have to play their best game in order to compete with them,” Miller said.

Clinton County’s next matchup will come this Friday night as the Bulldogs will host Trimble County at 7 p.m.

“We’ve not played Trimble County before. I feel like we match up with them pretty good,” Miller said. “They are young. I think they have 33 kids and 21 of them are freshmen. They are in the process of trying to rebuild and reload. They have two seniors and one of them is injured.”

Miller said Trimble County will more than likely run an offense similar to Casey County, but he thinks his Bulldogs will be able to handle that style of play.

“They kind of like to run it right at you,” Miller said. “Although we weren’t successful at that offense last year against Casey County, they don’t have the size, quickness and strength that Casey County has. I feel like we match up well and that we have a slight advantage over them.”

Friday night will be the first of four home games this season for the Bulldogs. Playing at home gives the team a break from traveling and gives the hometown community a chance to see the Dawgs in action.

“With it being a home game, having another week of practice and getting to the fundamentals, I think we will be a lot more crisp offensively,” Miller said. “I think it will be exciting. If we can get the running game going it will open up the pass.”