By GALE CAVNESS
pressbox1.com

DYERSBURG - Mark Schneider's pre-season concerns about defensive strength and ability to score points on offense proved unwarranted in the first regular-season contest of the 2007 campaign.

Dyersburg Middle School jumped to a big lead and coasted to a 30-6 triumph Thursday night over visiting Humboldt. The Trojans opened the game with the ball, put points on the scoreboard with its initial possession and led from start to finish in the one-sided affair.

"We moved the ball well," Schneider said Friday, commenting that his club faced just one fourth down conversion in the skirmish.. "We were able to take advantage of what Humboldt was giving us."

Despite outscoring two pre-season jamboree opponents by a combined 50-18 margin, Schneider was quick to point out that scrimmage games and real games are very different meetings.

For the time being, at least, the results have been the same.

The Trojans will try to follow the trend next Thursday when they travel to Newbern to tangle with intracounty rival Northview.

Against visiting Humboldt, DMS marched more than 60 yards to open the contest and took a lead it would not relinquish. Travis Bradshaw capped the march with the scoring play, then tacked on the two-point conversion to make it an 8-0 affair.

Humboldt responded with a scoring drive of its own, but failed on the conversion attempt to leave the score 8-6.

The Trojans put together another long scoring drive on the ensuing possession to give themselves some breathing room. Rod Ceaser picked up the points, then got the call for the conversion run to make it 16-6.

Dyersburg's defensive unit held the guests on downs as time ticked under the two-minute mark in the half.

Taking over at the Humboldt 40, Schneider called for a pass play that sent Sharquawn Henderson on a "go pattern." Hayden Alford, Dyersburg's quarterback, made the completion and Henderson carried the ball to the end zone to push the DMS advantage to 22-6. Bradshaw's conversion run on an option play made it a 24-6 at the half.

Alford recorded the only points in the second half with a scoring sneak.

After allowing the early points to their visitors, Schneider was pleased to see his defensive squad keep the opponents out of the end zone for the rest of the game.

"The defense really stepped up," the coach said. "In the jamboree, it really wasn't up to par. We made some changes and we did much better."