An entire inaugural season playing the big boys of Group AAA, and not scoring a single point all year.

That story is all too well known about King’s Fork’s first football campaign.

On the evening of the first scrimmage for their second year, however, while it’s pretty clear that the state championship is probably not in the Bulldogs’ near future, the talent, and effort, and excitement surrounding Bulldog football is all growing up together.

Sure it was a scrimmage, and neither of the other two teams, Green Run or Menchville, won a game last season either, but the Bulldog first teams outplayed, and even outscored the other schools’ first teams.

Against Menchville’s offense, after the King’s Fork defense had already earned two stops on downs, it was second down on the Menchville 30.

Dropping back in the pocket, the Menchville quarterback was pressured, and had his pass attempt deflected by Dan Miller.

A couple strides behind Miller, Francisco Clifford caught the deflected pass and the big man rumbled, and ran through a Menchville running back at the five-yard line, and scored.

It won’t count as King’s Fork’s first touchdown, but at least it’s a start; and the celebration on the field and in the stands certainly looked and sounded like a touchdown.

That one play was not the only positive building block on the Bulldog night.

In two possessions, one versus each opponent, the Fork offense moved the ball well.

With Shaka Miller at the helm, Fork moved from their 30 to the Stallion 30 before being stopped on downs by Green Run.

On the next offensive try, King’s Fork moved from their 30 down to a fourth-and-goal at the Menchville seven, but were unable to punch it in the endzone.

Going against the Green Run offense, Fork got one stop on downs, and then the Stallions ripped off a 45-yard run down to the King’s Fork 25.

The Green Run drive ended there though, as a short running play, two incompletion, and a sack stopped the Stallions.

The upcoming schedule against the rest of the Southeastern District is still extremely daunting for the Bulldogs in their sophomore year.

But there are more than 90 Bulldogs, between their JV and varsity squads, enthusiastically ready not just to take their licks, but maybe dish out one or two of their own.

andrew.giermak@suffolknewsherald.com