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SportsSaturday, August 25, 2007 10:21 PM CDT
Dunn, BHS pull through against MacArthur
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BLOOMINGTON -- Bloomington High School tailback Darrelyn Dunn wanted the game to rest on his burly shoulders Friday night. | Photo gallery | Video

“I wanted the ball bad,” the 6-foot junior said. “If I found a hole I was going to pop through it.”

He went untouched.

Dunn’s 60-yard touchdown run with 1 minute, 47 seconds to play sealed the Purple Raiders’ 11th consecutive season-opening victory in a 28-14 win over Decatur MacArthur at Fred Carlton Field.

“They were only down seven,” Dunn said. “My team needed me to come up big.”

The run deflated the Generals.

“That was a backbreaker,” MacArthur coach Derek Spates said. “That was killer.”

The Purple Raiders (1-0 overall and in the Big 12 Conference) blitzed to a 21-0 halftime lead, thanks in large part to Dunn. The BHS junior rushed 10 times for 120 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. Meanwhile, the Generals (0-1, 0-1) finished the half with only 53 total yards.

“The game should’ve been over,” Dunn said.

It wasn’t. Midway through the third quarter, BHS lined up for a punt inside its own 40-yard line. The snap to punter Adam Peden sailed over his head and was downed at the Purple Raider 15.

Two plays later, MacArthur scored when Tirell Anderson caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Robert Smith.

“We came out flat,” BHS coach Rigo Schmelzer said. “That’s the most disheartening thing.”

MacArthur cut the deficit to 21-14 with 1:58 left on a 25-yard touchdown reception by LaDarion Shelby, but Dunn immediately put the game out of reach with his third touchdown on the night.

“Darrelyn’s a consummate player,” Schmelzer said. “The kid’s got great ability, great vision. … He’s a young man that we expect to get a lot of work for us.”

Dunn finished with 196 yards on 16 carries. All tolled, the Purple Raiders accumulated 324 yards of total offense with 267 coming on the ground. Despite the impressive offensive numbers, BHS was penalized 10 times for 80 yards.

“Our offense is terrible because we’re not that good to recover from those kinds of things,” said Schmelzer, whose team faces Normal Community at 7:30 p.m. next Friday at Hancock Stadium. “It’s a situation where most of it is mental sharpness and we’re not there mentally.”

Get area high school sports scores and statistics at Varsity Sports.

Take a look
Darrelynn Dunn of Bloomington High School evades Tirell Anderson of Decatur MacArthur to score a touchdown during the season opener at Bloomington, Friday, August 24, 2007. (Pantagraph, David Proeber)
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Reader comments on this story - 14 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

iron softball mom wrote on Aug 26, 2007 7:14 PM:

" next week will be a great match against 2 top teams... half of that game will be mental anyway... they'll both bring it though cause that's how they are... should be close and a good one to see! Still gonna say: GO IRON! "

BHS FAN wrote on Aug 25, 2007 11:37 PM:

" Next weeks score NCHS 24 Bhs 21 "

to Football Guy wrote on Aug 25, 2007 9:09 PM:

" "Go back more than two years. For many years, it would be a shock if Normal beat Bloomington. I think Normal has stepped up their game, but looking at history, Bloomington has had the stronger program. This includes football and basketball." "

bhs vs nchs wrote on Aug 25, 2007 9:01 PM:

" "Score BHS-100 NCHS-0 Go Raiders!" "

Football Guy wrote on Aug 25, 2007 7:06 PM:

" NCHS has had a better football program the last 2 years, and I believe the better program this year. Hud will have them ready to play against the Raiders this week. Normal - 28 Bloomington - 12. "

central dad wrote on Aug 25, 2007 6:54 PM:

" last year the twin city tigers had a stud back with the last name Brooks. Is he at Bloomington this year and how does he look? He was incredible last year. "

actually wrote on Aug 25, 2007 1:22 PM:

" Bloomington did not shine in last nights game, as one would want to think. So better bring their A game if they expect to beat Normal! "

indygrad wrote on Aug 25, 2007 9:45 AM:

" Whoever wins next week will more than likely win the conference unless Centennial upsets someone along the way. BTW.. BHS, NCHS and West accounted for every Big 12 conference championship in every sport.boys and girls last year. You can't tell me the Big12(10) isn't a joke of a conferrence. 3or 4 quality schools does not a quality conference make. "

ironmen wrote on Aug 25, 2007 8:45 AM:

" Normal is obviously not that good or they all have huge ego's and came out that way against central. All i know is BHS will whip them next week. "

Class of 73 alum wrote on Aug 25, 2007 8:25 AM:

" GO RAIDERS!!!!!! Congrats. I love ya no matter what. "

Nchs wrote on Aug 25, 2007 8:08 AM:

" "Fans of nchs should stop riding on that state championship. I have seen alot of Chicago teams repeat or continue to have strong seasons, but I don't think they are there yet. Even though they were first in state, I believe BHS has always had the stronger program. Just my opinion." "

RAIDERS! wrote on Aug 25, 2007 7:25 AM:

" nice job out there...to each and every player!!! "

same game/new season wrote on Aug 25, 2007 1:44 AM:

" to Brian: Not sure about that. Did you read the NCHS game recap? "

Brian wrote on Aug 25, 2007 12:07 AM:

" BHS is gonna get killed nest week, if this is how they play. "

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