It didn’t matter that the Bulldogs had battled through an 0-6 stretch while dealing with injuries, faced a long bus ride to the Tampa area, or went up against a team that made an Elite Eight run last year.

What matters is that for the first time this year, Crestview is victorious, earning a 27-21 win over Mitchell in New Port Richey.

The Mustangs struck first with a Lathan Hogan touchdown run. The Bulldogs responded with a solid drive capped off by a Jalen Robinson touchdown run, which tied it all up at 7.

Nobody would manage to break through until right before halftime, when Mitchell put together a drive capped off by Rex Driggers hitting Aidan Dipola for a touchdown, making it 14-7 Mustangs heading into the break.

Coming out of the half, the Bulldogs defense forced a punt, but Mitchell’s Cody Connor came up with an interception of Zy Tassin in Crestview territory. The Crestview defense held and forced a field goal attempt, which came up short.

Mitchell stopped the Bulldogs on the next drive, and Hogan took it in for his second touchdown to make it 21-7.

On the next drive, Mitchell appeared to come up with another interception, but a penalty on the Mustangs negated it. The Bulldogs made the most of it. Tassin hit Rayshaun Cargle for a field flipper and ran for a first down, then Manwell Robinson took it in for a touchdown to narrow it to one score at 21-13 after the 2-point conversion came up short.

Crestview forced a stop and turned it into points with a Brock Spears touchdown pass to Jayden Goldsmith. Even though the 2-point conversion came up short, the Mitchell lead was down to 21-19.

The Bulldogs defense held again, and Spears hit Cargle for the go-ahead touchdown. Manwell Robinson converted the 2-point try to make it 27-21.

The defense once again forced a stop, and Crestview ran out the clock to earn its first victory of the year heading into its bye week.