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September 25, 2004 Defense saves Bulldogs By Ed Cassiere Fontainebleau lineman Rudy Odom said it was time for him and his defensive teammates to repay a debt. After the Bulldogs' District 5-5A opener against Hammond on Friday, both the balance sheet and the scoreboard read zero. "It's about time the defense stepped up and played like this," Odom said after the Bulldogs' 7-0 victory against Hammond at the Dawg Pound in Mandeville. "The offense bailed us out enough times last year." The Bulldogs (3-1) atoned for three offensive turnovers by intercepting three of Brad Moore's passes and limiting the Tornadoes (3-1) to 48 yards and two first downs in the final 32 minutes. "The defense won the game for us," Fontainebleau coach Larry Favre said. "We really had to rely on them." "We made some mistakes on offense," Fontainebleau quarterback Ben Cunningham said, "but the defense gave us opportunities. They're 2-for-4 in shutouts (this season). They're playing stiff." Cunningham rolled left on second-and-goal and passed 10 yards to Steven Korte for the only touchdown, capping a 13-play, 65-yard drive to start the second half. Hammond had only one scoring threat thereafter. A 36-yard pass from Moore to Jahdsman Parker moved the Tors into Fontainebleau territory with 7:08 remaining, but the drive ended on downs six plays later at the Fontainebleau 34 when a wide-open Jordan Powell dropped a third-and-11 pass at the 21. "We were very lucky to win," Favre said. Favre had little praise for his offensive play-calling, except for the touchdown. "I thought that was our only good call," he said. "I was not good tonight at all calling plays." "We had (Hammond) biting all night (one the run)," said Cunningham, who completed three of eight passes for 29 yards and rushed 13 times for 58 yards. "We had been waiting to break out the play-action. Steven got open in the back of the end zone, and I just lofted it in there." Fontainebleau outgained Hammond 226 yards to 145. The Bulldogs' Christian Ducre rushed for 88 yards on 20 attempts, and Korte ran nine times for 52 yards. Tim Grzych had two interceptions for Fontainebleau, and Blake Guidry had the other.
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