[an error occurred while processing this directive]
with 39-14 win over Indians
|
| TOUGH YARDAGE- Ethan Brown (42) picks up some tough yards through the middle of the Comanche line last Friday. Also identifiable in the picture for Hamilton is center Sheldon Coble (53). Staff Photo |
The Bulldogs scored at least once in every quarter and rolled up 489 yards of offense as they returned to the victory column after last week’s loss to Salado. The win raised Hamilton’s season record to 3-1 with one more non-league game re-maining against Maypearl before the Dogs enter district warfare.
Head Bulldog coach Chris Wilde said, “I felt like our kids played real hard. We still have a long way to go before being at the level we want to be at, but hopefully we can peak during district play.”
The Bulldogs utilized a well-balanced offense that saw 10 different players carry the ball at least once in eating up 407 yards rushing, while quarterback John Galindo was razor-sharp in hitting five out of six passes for another 82 yards.
Comanche, a class 3A school, fell to 0-4 on the season as new coach Jeryl Brixey tries to turn things around.
The Dogs were missing a couple of key players due to injuries, but they hardly missed a beat. Junior Sheldon Coble filled in nicely for 290-pound freshman center Acy May, who sat out the game with a minor concussion suffered against Salado. And a number of Bulldogs stepped up to fill the hole on both sides of the ball left when James Ratliff missed the game with a leg injury.
Hamilton set the tone for this game on its first possession when the Dogs took the opening kickoff at their own 26- yard line and then marched 74 yards in 16 plays for the first score of the night. The drive featured a 17-yard run by Jorden Lowe and an eight-yard pass completion for a key first down from Galindo to Seth LeBlanc. The score came on a three-yard plunge over left guard by Garet Box. A mishandled snap cost the Dogs the point after, but Hamilton still owned a 6-0 lead early in the contest.
After losing a couple of fumbles on their next two possessions, the Bulldogs got back on track early in the second stanza. The Bulldogs were backed up deep in their own territory following a terrific goal line stand that saw Hamilton stop the Indians four times from inside the Bulldog five-yard line.
Starting from their own three-yard line, the Bulldogs picked up a couple of yards on their first two downs, and then pulled off a perfectly-executed Statue of Liberty play for the second time this season. Galindo dropped back for an apparent pass attempt, but stealthily handed the ball to LeBlanc and the speedy senior set sail down the left sideline for a 93-yard touchdown scamper. The extra point attempt by Tyler Gentry, who just joined the team this week, sailed wide left, but he would atone by kicking the next three PATs through the uprights.
Hamilton padded its lead on its next possession with a 62-yard, seven-play drive for the Dogs’ third touchdown. The highlight play in the drive was a 19-yard pass from Galindo to Mason Burke that saw the 225 pound junior tight end extend his body as far as possible and then snare a one handed reception. Keaton Muxworthy added a 12-yard gain around right end and Galindo did the honors himself with a 22-yard burst over right tackle for the score. Gentry’s extra point gave the Bulldogs a 19-0 lead with less than eight minutes to go in the half.
Comanche responded with its first scoring drive of the game to keep things interesting. The Indians moved 59 yards in five plays that included a 39- yard run by sophomore Josh Feaster. The score came on Feaster’s three-yard plunge and Todd Bearden added the extra point to cut Hamilton’s lead to 19-7 going into halftime.
During a gala homecoming celebration at intermission, Whitley Quigg was crowned as the 2007 HHS Homecoming Queen.
The Bulldogs extended their lead early in the third period as they capitalized on great field position following a short Comanche punt. The Dogs moved 27 yards in four plays, capped by a 16-yard scoring strike over the middle from Galindo to Burke. Gentry toed the extra point to give Hamilton a 26-7 cushion.
The Indians refused to go away, however, as they mounted their best drive of the night, a 79-yard, 14-play affair that culminated in a 16-yard scoring run by sophomore quarterback Jerick Roberts. Roberts also contributed an 18-yard fourth down pass to Caleb Payne on a fake punt to keep the march alive. Bearden’s extra point kick cut the margin to 26-14 with less than three minutes to go in the third quarter.
Hamilton bounced right back with a 79-yard drive of its own, moving the distance in 11 plays that included pass completions by Galindo of 33 yards to Jordan Ratliff and 16 yards to Truman Baize. The Dogs turned to halfback Jorden Lowe to cap the drive as he carried the final three plays of the march for gains of eight, 11 and four yards for the score. With Gentry’s extra point kick the Bulldogs were up 33-14.
The Indians looked to be moving again on their next possession before four penalties in five plays stopped their momentum. And then the drive turned to disaster for the Indians when LeBlanc sacked Roberts, stripping the ball from his hands, and Burke picked it up and raced 40 yards to the Comanche five-yard line.
It took Hamilton only one play to turn the turnover into points as fullback Ethan Brown bulled his way up the middle for the score. That capped the scoring for the night at 39-14, although both teams threatened in the waning moments.
In fact, Comanche looked for all the world like it was about to score moments later when Roberts broke free and raced 64 yards toward the Hamilton goal before Lowe tracked him down from behind and stripped the ball out of his hands at the Hamilton two yard line. The ball went through the end zone for a touchback and Hamilton took over at its own 20-yard line.
The Bulldogs ate up the rest of the clock as they moved steadily downfield before Galindo took a knee at the Comanche three-yard line as time ran out. Muxworthy did most of the damage on this drive with gains of 15, 13 and 15 yards on sweeps around right end.
LeBlanc topped the rushing chart for Hamilton with 108 yards on only three carries, followed by Muxworthy with 70 yards on nine tries and Galindo with 64 yards on 12 carries.
Galindo also contributed an interception from his defensive backfield spot. The tackle chart showed Baize leading the way as he got in on 11 stops and Garet Box was close behind with 10 tackles.