Members of the Caldwell football program and cheerleaders sing the school's alma mater song following a 55-7 loss to Dalton in the Ohio Division VII semifinals Friday night in Zanesville. (Photo by Mike Morrison)

ZANESVILLE – Caldwell head coach Chance Rucker felt like his team would have to play a near perfect football game to have a shot at upsetting the Dalton Bulldogs in the Division VII State Semifinal Friday night at the John D. Sulsberger Stadium in Zanesville.

Unfortunately for the Redskins that was anything but the case as they got off to a rough start and were never able to get back in it as the Bulldogs rolled to a 55-7 win to punch their ticket to the state championship game next Saturday.

Caldwell committed four first-half turnovers and six in the game and the Bulldogs took full advantage as they scored 21 points in each of the first two quarters to put things away at the intermission by all intents and purposes.

“We knew coming into this game that they are a really good football team and we knew we had to out-execute them and we just weren’t able to do that,” said Rucker. “Momentum swings and we make four turnovers in the first half and they capitalized and it’s hard to come back from that.”

The Redskins got the ball first but turned it over on their very first play from scrimmage.

Dalton took just two plays to get on the board as Sammy Tomlinson rambled for 42 yards on its first play from scrimmage and then scored the first touchdown on a 2-yard plunge.

Caldwell went three-and-out on its next possession and once again the Bulldogs would waste little time putting the ball back in the end zone.

A 33-yard pass play from quarterback Colin Pearson to Alex Hess moved the ball into Caldwell territory and Pearson went right up the middle for a 32-yard sprint on the third play of the drive to give Dalton a 14-0 lead.

The Redskins answered with their best drive of the opening half as they moved the ball into the red zone before turning the ball over on downs when Greyson Siders sacked quarterback Cale Bender on fourth down.

This time the Bulldogs would take a little bit of time moving the ball down the field but once again the end result was the same when Tomlinson capped a 10-play, 75-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown run to increase the lead to 21.

Caldwell turned the ball over on downs once again on their first possession of the second quarter and Dalton this time used the right arm of Pearson to march 59 yards on four pass plays to score their fourth touchdown of the opening half.

Pearson connected with Coy Wenger on a 35-yard catch-and-run to cap the drive.

The Redskins turned the ball over for the second time in the half when Bender was picked off by Siders and scored on the very next play when Pearson found Cade Mullett on a 26-yard touchdown pass to increase the lead to 35-0.

Tomlinson would add his third touchdown of the half later after another interception to send the Bulldogs to the break with a commanding six touchdown lead.

The Bulldogs would leave their regulars in for the opening drive of the second half and quickly scored on a 6-yard run by Mullet to increase the lead to 49-0.

Caldwell avoided being shutout when Bender found junior Alex Herlan in the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown pass in the closing minutes.

Dalton piled up 466 total yards in the game as they had 10 plays that went for 20 yards or more.

Pearson completed all but one of his 10 pass attempts in the game for 191 yards.

Tomlinson led a Bulldog ground game that accumulated 275 yards by rushing for 75 yards on seven carries.

Bender completed 13-of-21 pass attempts for 120 yards and the touchdown while Herlan caught nine passes for 80 yards.

Dylan Wheeler led the Redskins in rushing with 34 yards on nine touches while Ethan Crock carried the ball eight times for 32.

While Dalton improved to 13-1 and moves on to the state championship game in Canton next Saturday against undefeated Marion Local, the Redskins’ incredible season comes to a close with an 11-4 record and a sense of pride.

“I’m super proud of the kids and especially the seniors because they absolutely gave everything they had,” said Rucker. “Since I’ve been in this program I’ve watched them not only develop into great football players but into great young men and that’s all you can ask for.”