Top 5 photos from MLK Cougars football’s first win of the season

The Martin Luther King High Cougars football team earned its first win of the season — and the first in two years not awarded via forfeit — against John Bartram High School on Friday afternoon.

The hard-fought 32-15 win brought the Cougars record to 1-2 for this unique season.

The Cougars scored on their opening offensive drive after quarterback Joseph Walker connected with wide receiver Delane Hart on a 35-yard pass. A two-point conversion gave MLK an 8-0 lead.

The score was knotted at eight at halftime courtesy of a long Bartram drive which ended with a rushing touchdown (and two MLK touchdowns called back for penalties).

To start the third quarter, a Cougars run-heavy drive resulted in a touchdown by running back Devonte Hunter and a 16-8 lead.

Walker scored another touchdown on a short run and Hart came up with another 30-yard reception for six. The Cougars converted two points on both touchdowns bringing the score to 32-8 in the game’s final five minutes.

A late TD cut the score to 32-15, which is how it would remain at the final whistle.

Despite the jubilation of the first victory, Coach Ed Dunn did not divert from the normal post-game ritual. Players doing push ups while spelling out “humble” and “hungry.”

“Savor it,” Dunn told his players. “Get it up, we gonna get this one right.”

As the team circled around Dunn, one player asked, “Pizza on Coach Dunn, right?

“It’s not pizza on Coach Dunn,” came the response. “It’s pizza and wings on Coach Dunn.”