Mexico needed a spark on Friday night.

The Bulldogs hadn’t led all night in their 54 Bowl matchup with longtime rival Fulton, but they took the lead in the fourth quarter and never gave it back to win 26-19. James Matthews returned a kickoff 87 yards and then a two-point run by Connor Fisher gave Mexico (1-1) a 20-19 lead with about eight minutes left in the game.

Head coach Steve Haag said to his team that the first half wasn’t “crisp” as Mexico fumbled four times and Fulton blocked two extra point kicks and a punt. The Bulldogs were only down by one possession 13-6 despite not having the best practice on Thursday.

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“We got into halftime, and we challenged them,” Haag said. “‘You’re a better football player than this.’ We’re not a finesse offense. We’re going to get after people, and we did that in the second half.”

He was glad his players took that to heart, especially Matthews. Haag said that play is definitely “a momentum swing,” and the Bulldogs were able to reel the emotions back in as John Kelly made an interception on the next drive for one of four Fulton turnovers.

“That’s not a regular kickoff return,” Haag said. “We put it in there to be safe. We thought they would onside. We call that our hands team. I said, ‘Get what you can.’ He took it all the way in.”

Matthews said Haag actually told him to go down the right side. Despite “loving coach Haag to death,” the senior went left after he saw how Fulton’s special teams unit was arranged and let his blockers help him.

“My teammates were like, ‘We need a game changer,’” Matthews said. “Our hands team – Brysen (Hammers), Marshall (Ball), and D’Naz (Smith) – ran up to me and said, ‘Hey, we’re dropping back 10 yards, and we’re going to peel and do whatever we can. So go score.’ So we did.”

Mexico has defeated Fulton (0-2) 15 straight times and hasn’t lost to its longtime rival since 2012. However, Matthews said this Fulton team proved to be tougher than last year’s squad that gave Mexico a run for its money last year in a 63-42 shootout.

“They are way more aggressive than they were last year,” Matthews said. “(Thomas) Pittman gave us a lot of trouble.”

Pittman was a big weapon for Fulton in last year’s shootout and even made the Class 3 all-state team. He finished with more than 200 total yards this time.

Haag thought Pittman would get more touches to get Fulton in the end zone for a chance to tie or win the game. However, the Hornets tossed a jump ball into the end zone that was grabbed by Kyler Benne, who kept the ball on a quarterback 26-yard touchdown. D’Naz Smith ran for a 39-yard touchdown to give Mexico a cushion before that.

“We went for two to get a nine-point lead for two possessions to take the pressure off of us, and we didn’t get it there.” Haag said. “Now you’re nervous again because they got it close down there, and then they passed the ball. I was really surprised they did that.”

This year’s Bulldogs earned another moment hoisting the 54 Bowl sign. Haag said this year’s seniors didn’t want to be the ones to lose the sign as much as the Fulton seniors want to be the ones to pry the sign away. Matthews has stepped into his senior role.

“Becoming a senior, I was given a lot of advice from Coach (Darren) Pappas and Coach (Kevin) Krietemeyer,” Matthews said. “Just be that guy. Just stay in the mindset of ‘Just go and never give up.’ My biggest thing is all glory to God, but at the same time, the mentality is to stay clutch and don’t back down in huge moments.”

Haag said he expects to see similar offense at Monroe City (1-1), who received votes in the first Class 2 state poll, at 7 p.m. Friday.

“When they gave it to Pittman, it was a power pulling both guards and bringing a lot of people to that party,” Haag said. “There are a lot of people over there, and you’ve got to manage it. You’re kind of like a bowling ball. There are pins, and you’re a bowling ball taking them down.”