By LENNY REICH

sports@vindy.com

POLAND

While there was a 1-hour, 14-minute, weather delay to start the game, Poland was delayed a little bit longer as the Bulldogs shook off a slow start to score a 19-0 win over Alliance at Dave Pavlansky Field.

Poland (5-0) had just six yards in the first quarter and the I-formation, power running team went to the air to get things going as senior quarterback Cole Kosco hit Mitchell Fredrick on 13- and 21-yard pass plays to get the Bulldogs into Alliance territory. The drive appeared to stall as the Bulldogs faced a fourth-and-12 from the 28-yard line but Kosco rolled to his right and found Fredrick in the back of the end zone for the score.

On the ensuing drive, Alliance attempted to answer but after going three-and-out appeared to have punted the ball back to Poland but the Bulldogs ran into the punter which moved the ball up five yards and forced another kick. That snap sailed over punter Nick Deack’s head into the end zone which he covered for a safety and made it 9-0.

Alliance (2-3) got the ball back one more time and quarterback Brandon Alexander used his arm and legs to get to the Poland 25-yard-line but a throw into the end zone with nine seconds left in half was picked off by MJ Farber and ended the half.

Neither team scored in the third quarter and the Bulldogs had a drive extended early in the fourth quarter when Alliance muffed a punt that gave Poland the ball on the 40-yard line. Four plays later Mikey Kushner pushed the lead to 12-0 with a 44-yard field goal.

Alliance had one more chance but Scott Campbell sacked Alexander and the Bulldogs recovered on the Aviator 48-yard line. Kosco then scored a 13-yard touchdown run with just under two minutes to play and a Hayden Kaschak interception put the game away for Poland.

Kosco finished 10-for-17 passing for 101 yards with a touchdown passing and one running for the Bulldogs. His top target was Fredrick, who had five catches for 57 yards with a touchdown and Jake Rutana had 71 yards rushing on 21 carries.

The Bulldog defense held Alliance to 185 total yards as Campbell finished with 10 stops, two sacks and forced fumble to lead the unit.

Alexander managed just 99 yards on 7-of-21 passing and 38 yards rushing while Noah Durst-Hawkins also had 50 yards on the ground for Alliance.