Ashe County Middle School football moved to 4-0 on Saturday with a 26-8 victory at Elkin.

The Bulldogs scored on its first drive of the game. After a big 35-yard gain on a pass from Colin Ellis to Chris Lonidier, Judd Price capped off the drive with a four-yard TD run. The two-point conversion was good, leaving the score 8-0 with 7:45 left in the first quarter.

On the first Elkin drive, Matt Greer forced a fumble that is recovered by Ethan Shepherd on Elkin’s 38-yard line.

The very next play was a 33-yard TD pass from Ellis to Lonidier. The two-point play was no good, but the Bulldogs had exploded out of the gate to take a 14-0 lead just minutes into the first quarter.

ACMS scored early in the second quarter. After runs by Price, Greer, and Ellis, a screen pass to Price put the ball at the Elkin 25. After a pair of runs that put the ball at the three-yard line, Ellis found Lonidier again for a TD pass. The two-point conversion was no good. The Bulldogs held a 20-0 lead with 7:56 remaining in the first half.

Ashe saw its defense make a pair of plays in the second quarter to keep the shutout going. The Bulldogs forced a turnover on downs after a fourth-down stop on the ACMS eight-yard line. Then on the next drive, Tristen Jones intercepted an Elkin pass on the goal line and returned it across midfield.

With three seconds left in the half, a deep pass from Ellis to Lonidier was pulled down in the endzone with three Elkin defenders trying to knock the ball away. The mercy rule was in effect, so no extra point or two-point conversion attempt was allowed. The Bulldogs held a 26-0 halftime lead.

Elkin finally got on the scoreboard in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter on a three-yard TD run.

The ACMS defense stood strong again with Elkin knocking on the door for another touchdown. Dante Shuler blasted the quarterback and forced a fumble, which was recovered by Josh Roten.

Following an Ashe fake punt that failed, the defense put the game to rest. Greer sacked the quarterback, and then hit him as he was throwing on the next play. The result was an interception for Calder Clay, sealing the Bulldog victory.

Ashe returns to the field next Tuesday to host North Wilkes. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m.