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FIRST TD- Truman Baize (20) put the Bulldogs on the board with a 65-yard run off a statue of liberty play only four minutes into the game last Thursday against Mart. The TD came only three plays after the Bulldogs picked up a first down on a gutsy fourth and one from their own 35-yard line. The first series seemed to set the tone for the entire game as the Bulldogs surprised the Panthers 43-21. Staff Photo |
The game will start at 7:30 p.m. at Bowers Stadium on the Sam Houston University campus. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. and all tickets are $6.
Both teams advanced in the playoffs after claiming bi-district wins last week. Hamilton defeated the previous number one rated 2A Mart Panthers 43-21 and Corrigan-Camden beat East Chambers 28-26. Hamilton is now 8-3 on the season and Corrigan-Camden is 9-2. Corrigan-Camden’s two losses came to highly rated teams. They lost to Newton by four points and to Hemphill by one.
Hamilton head football coach Chris Wilde said, “There is no doubt that we are facing another tough opponent this week. They are one of the programs in the state that you know will field a good team every year.”
Last year Corrigan-Camden was a quarterfinalist team with a 12-2 season record.
Much like Hamilton, Wilde said that Corrigan-Camden is a physical team. On offense, he said they will run some of the same plays as Hamilton, such as the sweep and smash. However, they run it out of a wing formation, rather than the wishbone.
Unlike Hamilton, they don’t run the option. The trap is one of their favorite plays.
Playoff excitement was at a high pitch this week in Hamilton and a large following is expected to make the trip to Huntsville. Two charter buses full of Bulldog fans will leave Hamilton at 2:30 p.m.
Fans and cheerleaders are also planning to send the team off from the field house in Hamilton at 12:30 p.m. with a large showing of support. Fans are encouraged to lineup along Railroad Avenue behind the stands prior to the teams’ departure at 1 p.m. to offer their encouragement.
H.H.S. cheerleaders are requesting everyone to wear their Bulldog attire and bring noise makers.
Hamilton will be trying to claim the third area round victory in school football history. They claimed area titles in 2004 and 2005. The Bulldogs have made it to the playoffs for four consecutive years.
Hamilton will again enter the game as an underdog this week. The Harris Weekly Ratings has Corrigan-Camden picked over Hamilton by eight.
Impressively, all three of the teams from Hamilton’s District 21-2A advanced past the first round of the playoffs. Crawford defeated Centerville 35-0 and McGregor dropped Teague 49-35.
This week Harris picks Newton over McGregor by four, but puts Crawford over Hardin by 15.
In other area games of interest last week, Hico lost to Lone Oak 21-28 and Salado defeated Hempstead 17-7.