NEFFSVILLE >> Never count out a wounded dog.

Especially a Bulldog.

The Wilson Bulldogs, playing without three key offensive players, used special teams and some big runs by Jadyn Jones to beat Manheim Township 31-28 in a key Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 victory Friday night.

The Bulldogs were without three key starters on offense: Quarterback Kaleb Brown, wide receiver/safety Troy Corson and running back/kick return Mason Lenart.

Jones rushed for 237 yards and two touchdowns and the defense came up with several defensive stops in the fourth quarter as the Bulldogs (1-0, 1-1) pulled out a miraculous victory.

Jones’ 15-yard TD run with 1:14 left gave Wilson a 31-21 lead. The Blue Streaks (0-1, 0-2) scored on Anthony Ivey’s 40-yard touchdown catch with one second remaining.

“We made the plays we had to make and we did what we had do to,” said Wilson coach Doug Dahms.

The Bulldogs fell behind for the only time in the game on Cade Clancy’s 7-yard TD run to make it 21-17 with 3:59 left in the third quarter.

Wilson took the lead for good on a 42-yard touchdown run by Gavin Lenart with 9:50 left in the game.

The Bulldogs defense yielded 420 total yards, including 284 through the air by Evan Clark, but came up with a crucial fourth-down stop at their 16 with 7:19 remaining.

Jones provided a huge spark in the opening minute, turning his first touch into a 65-yard scoring run as he bounced outside after getting hit in the middle of the line and broke away for a 7-0 lead.

After Township tied it on its first possession, the Bulldogs turned to special teams to move ahead.

First, they recovered a fumbled Blue Streaks punt at the Township 45 and turned into a 29-yard field goal by Jack Wagner for a 10-7 lead.

The Bulldogs got another huge boost when senior end Ethan Capitano swooped in to block a punt, then picked it up on a hop and that 33 and took it back for a touchdown and 17-7 lead 6:45 before the half.

Clark took advantage on Wilson’s injured secondary, throwing a pair of touchdowns in the first half to keep the Streaks in it.

First he hit running back Cade Clancy on a 44-yard scoring strike.

Later, after seeing a long TD pass taken off the board by a holding penalty, he came right Elijah Fonseca with a 37-yard TD just 59 seconds before halftime.

Clark, a first-year starter, threw for 148 first-half yards and also hurt the Bulldogs with several scrambles out of the pocket.

Jones rushed for 101 yards in the first quarter and had 136 yards by intermission.

The Bulldogs entered the season as the Section 1 favorite and were looking to knock the Blue Streaks out of the top spot for the first time in four seasons.

Township won the Section 1 title last year and has won or shared the title three straight seasons. It’s also beat Wilson three times in the last three seasons, something few other programs have been able to do.