WETUMKA - The Dewar Dragon varsity football team continued their winning ways in 2018 last Friday with a thrilling 58-50 victory over the host Wetumka Chieftains.

In the non-district win, the Dragons amassed more than 600 yards of total offense, including 434 yards on the ground.

Sophomore quarterback Joey Fowler accounted for 400 of the 612 total yards, including 222 yards rushing on 30 carries and 2 TDs. Fowler also completed 13 (of 18) passes for 178 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

Fowler's favorite target in the passing game last Friday was senior Braxton Loyd, who hauled in eight passes for 117 yards and one score. Fowler also completed passes to James Brison, Rhett Whitlow, Thomas Brownfield, and Anthony Tabers in the narrow victory.

Fowler opened the scoring with a 4-yard TD run at 8:01 of the opening quarter. Fowler then connected with Anthony Tabers on the conversion attempt to give Dewar the early 8-0 advantage.

Wetumka knotted the score at 8-8 with a 1-yard TD run by Trever McGirt at the 3:07 mark of the first quarter, then completed the conversion pass to Alex Freeman.

The host Chieftains took over the lead at 16-8 with an 18-yard TD pass fom McGirt to Whitmire with 48 seconds remaining in the first. Zane Hamilton's successful conversion run gave the Wetumka squad the 8-point lead at the end of the first 12 minutes of action.

The teams exchanged scores in the first 3:30 of the second quarter to make it an 18-14 Wetumka lead. Fowler cut the deficit to two, 16-14, with a 6-yard run at 10:30 of the second. McGirt answered for the Chieftains, scampering into the end zone from 16 yards out to push the Wetumka lead back to eight, 22-14.

With 5:27 left before halftime, Fowler found senior wideout Rhett Whitlow for a 21-yard TD pass. Fowler then bounced into the end zone on the conversion attempt to deadlock the score at 22-22.

The Dewar sophomore signal caller then connected with Loyd on a 50-yard aerial strike at the 3:04 mark of the second quarter and successfully ran in the conversion attempt to put Dewar in front by a 30-22 margin.

McGirt's 8-yard TD run at 1:57 of the second sent the teams to their respective lockerrooms with Dewar ahead by two, 30-28.

A1-yard run by Tabers at the 8:47 mark of the third quarter extended Dewar's lead to eight, 36-28, then Rhett Whitlow raced 47 yards to paydirt four minutes and 11 seconds later to push the Dragon advantage to double digits, 42-28.

McGirt fired a 55-yard TD pass to Hamilton at 3:11 of the third, then connected with Freeman on the conversion attempt to cut the Dewar lead to six, 42-36.

Both teams found the end zone in the final two minutes of the third quarter to send the game to the final 12 minutes of regulation with Dewar clinging to a 50-42 advantage.

Tristan Melder scored for Dewar on a 7-yard TD run with 1:01 left in the third, then Ty Whitlow crossed the goal line on the conversion attempt to push the Dragon lead to 50-36.

McGirt hooked up with Freeman on a 27-yard TD pass with 27 seconds remaining in the quarter, then raced into the end zone on the conversion try to make it an 8-point Dewar lead at the end of three quarters of action.

Thomas Brownfield tallied the final touchdown for Dewar with a 7-yard run at 8:27 of the fourth. Fowler then raced into the end zone on the conversion try to make it a 58-42 Dewar advantage.

McGirt got the Chieftains to within 10 points, 58-48, with a 47-yard TD run with 5:31 left in regulation. Hamilton bulled his way across the goal line on the conversion attempt to make it a 58-50 contest.

The Dragons kept Wetumka out of the end zone the remainder of the fourth quarter to walk away with the 58-50 victory and improve to 3-0 on the year.

Dewar will look to remain unbeaten in 2018 this Friday with a trip to Weleetka for a non-district showdown with the Weleetka Outlaws. Friday's non-district clash with Weleetka is set for a 7:30 p.m. start time at Outlaw Stadium in Weleetka. ---Dewar 58, Wetumka 50 Dewar -8-22-20-8 (58) Wetumka-16-12-16-8 (50)

First Quarter

Dewar - Joey Fowler, 4-yard run (Anthony Tabers pass from Fowler); 8:01

Wetumka - Trever McGirt, 1-yard run (Alex Freeman pass from McGirt); 3:07

Wetumka - Whitmire, 18-yard pass from McGirt (Zane Hamilton run); 0:48

Second Quarter

Dewar - Fowler, 6-yard run (Run Failed); 10:30 Wetumka - McGirt, 16-yard run (Pass Failed); 8:30 Dewar - Rhett Whitlow, 21-yard pass from Fowler (Fowler run); 5:27

Dewar - Braxton Loyd, 50-yard pass from Fowler (Fowler run); 3:04

Wetumka - McGirt, 8-yard run (Pass Failed); 1:57

Third Quarter

Dewar - Tabers, 1-yard run (Pass Failed); 8:47 Dewar - Rhett Whitlow, 47-yard run (Pass Failed); 4:36 Wetumka - Hamilton, 55-yard pass from McGirt (Freeman pass from McGirt); 3:11

Dewar - Tristan Melder, 7-yard run (Ty Whitlow run); 1:01 Wetumka - Freeman, 27-yard pass from McGirt (McGirt run); 0:27

Fourth Quarter

Dewar - Thomas Brownfield, 7-yard run (Fowler run); 8:27 Wetumka - McGirt, 47-yard run (Hamilton run); 5:31

Dewar Team Stats

First Downs: 31

Rushing: 67-434

Passing: Dewar 13-18-1 178 Total Offense: 612 Fumbles: 0-0

Penalties: 12-115

Dewar Individual Stats

Rushing: Joey Fowler 30-222, 2 TDs; Thomas Brownfield 26-118, TD; Rhett Whitlow 2-48, TD; Tristan Melder 7-42, TD; Ty Whitlow 1-3; Anthony Tabers 1-1, TD. Passing: Joey Fowler 13-18-1 178, 2 TDs. Receiving: Braxton Loyd 8-117, TD; James Brison 2-22; Rhett Whitlow 1-21, TD; Thomas Brownfield 1-15; Anthony Tabers 1-3.