GOOD HOPE — The Raiders’ special run through the Cullman County middle school football ranks is continuing another season.

And this time, that season’s ending in a championship.

Colton Bagwell went beast mode for 143 rushing yards and two touchdowns, Eli Pugh powered ahead for 147 and a score of his own, and the defense picked off a trio passes as Good Hope dominated Hanceville 38-8 Monday for its fourth county crown in five years.

For the Red and White’s seventh- and eighth-grade classes, the county title was a long time coming.

“As they’ve grown up, these kids have been to multiple championship games, but they’ve always had something happen and come up just short,” said coach Tyler Hudson, who was doused with water as the clock ran out. “It’s great to see them to get that big trophy finally. They’re great players. They’re coachable players. They have character. They do things the right way. They want to play as a team and win, so they definitely deserved it.”

Added Bagwell: “I’ve lost six county championships in my life. This is my first ever, and it’s just amazing to have it for once.”

The Raiders, who were fresh off their fifth consecutive undefeated regular season, put the finishing touches on a 7-0 campaign with a complete team effort. They’ve now won 35 of their last 36 games, with the lone loss coming to Vinemont in last year’s championship.

“That was a heartbreaker,” Hudson said of the 2015 defeat to the Eagles and their “great running back,” Jayden Sullins. “The pain on their faces in the locker room after, it was definitely unfinished business. I’m really glad these eighth-graders got this trophy before they move up.”

Justice Click, Walter Perez and Jared Pugh all had interceptions for Good Hope. Click’s led to Eli Pugh’s 48-yarder for the Raiders’ first score, and Jared Pugh returned his 38 yards to the end zone for their last.

Jared Pugh also had the home team’s other score in the fourth quarter on a 5-yard rumble. Tanner Malin followed it with his only pass attempt of the night — a 3-yard strike to Eli Pugh for two points.

Bagwell converted a pair of 2-point runs, and Eli Pugh carried in one for the Raiders, who outgained Hanceville 313-140.

Jared Pugh added a fumble recovery to his already-glowing résumé, and Jackson Dillashaw and Jesse Blackmon were among those on Good Hope’s D with tackles for losses.

“It feels amazing,” said Eli Pugh shortly after the trophy presentation. “We all did it together. It was all teamwork.”

Allan Huckaby helped the Bulldogs avoid the shutout with a 58-yard touchdown run down the right sideline with 1:58 to go. He also ran in the 2-point conversion to cap off his evening with a team-high 68 yards.

Bo Joles was 9-of-16 passing for 60 yards. Taejon Jones had six catches for 27 yards to go with 25 yards on the ground. J.R. Isbell (19 yards), Brodie Malcom (11) and Alex Chacon (three) also had receptions for Hanceville, which finished the season 5-2.

The Purple and Gold’s only losses were to Good Hope.

Not bad for what coach Stephen Chandler called a “rebuilding year” for the Dawgs, who’ve made two of the last three county championship games.

“You know, hats off to Good Hope,” he said. “It’s just an awesome program they’ve kind of put together, and that’s what we want to do at Hanceville. I’m proud of every one of my guys. It just didn’t end like we planned on.”

The Raiders closed the fall with a 256-98 scoring advantage. That, of course, is a testament to this year’s players and coaches, but Hudson had a laundry list of other folks he felt were deserving of credit.

First was Patrick McDonald, who “really laid the foundation for the way things are going in the middle school” as the coach during the program’s county three-peat from 2012-14.

The others Hudson doted on were Good Hope’s administration — both past and present — as well as the team’s assistants and volunteers.

Bagwell said it took “hard work,” “strength” and “power” for the Raiders to overcome last year’s loss.

But the payoff was oh, so worth it.

“It’s overwhelming just to come back and start the streak back again,” he said. “It’s all that we’ve been working on.”

Now that the streak is restarted, just how long does he expect it to last?

“I don’t know,” Bagwell said. “I hope forever.”