TRI CITY — After being completely dominated in the first half, the Sutherlin Bulldogs came back from a 20-0 deficit to edge South Umpqua 24-20 in a non-conference game at Tri City Friday night.

The Lancers (2-2) controlled the first half right from the start with running back Credence Ferguson carrying the ball all seven plays in a 42-yard drive and scoring from a yard out to give the Lancers a 7-0 lead with less than two minutes gone in the first quarter. The Lancers added another score with 3:05 to go in the first period when Ferguson scored from a yard out again, capping a 71-yard drive to make it 13-0.

Ferguson scored his third TD of the game with 0:24 left in the second quarter on a two-yard run to give the Lancers a 20-0 lead and the Bulldogs’ offense was making mistakes
and not moving the ball.

But the second half was a different story for the Bulldogs.

Sutherlin (3-1) put together a 14-play drive in the third quarter and finally got on the scoreboard with 5:05 left in the third when Jake Merrifield went five yards for a score. Bryce Olson hooked the extra point try and Sutherlin still trailed South Umpqua 20-6.

Hunter Fadness followed with a 13-yard score with 2:48 to go in the third to cut the deficit to eight points, but Sutherlin’s two-point conversion failed.

Late in the fourth quarter, Merrifield scored his second touchdown of the game on a 15-yard run to pull the Bulldogs within two. They went for two to tie, but once again, the run failed and S.U. held on to a 20-18 advantage.

The Lancers couldn’t get a first down and had to punt with 2:17 left in the game. Christian Allen’s kick went for 57 yards and rolled dead at the Sutherlin 5-yard line.

Facing a long field and running out of time, Sutherlin came up with big play after big play and Cade Meisner fired to the end zone for Mason Gill, who came up with a great catch to give the Dogs their first lead of the game 24-20 with 0:21 remaining. Sutherlin missed its fourth straight PAT, but it was enough to give the Bulldogs an improbable comeback victory to improve to 3-1 on the year. The Lancers dropped to 2-2 with the loss.

The Bulldogs host La Pine on Friday night to begin 3A Special District 2 Northern Division league play. The Lancers travel to Brookings-Harbor for their Southern Division league opener.