The Wortham Bulldogs came from ten points down to claim a 28-24 home win against the Cayuga Wildcats Friday night at Wortham’s historic Bulldog Stadium.
The Bulldogs were coming off a 41-0 loss at home last week against Dawson and had some players return to the lineup and the battle of offensive lines went to Wortham on the night.
The first drive came easy for the Wildcats. Braxton Killion returned the opening kickoff 53 yards to the Wortham 15-yard line. Three plays later, Chase Hearall scored on an 11-yard run to open the scoring. B.J. Scruggs ran in the conversion and the Wildcats led 8-0 with 10:31 remaining in the first quarter.
The Bulldogs went three plays and a punt and Cayuga went back to work, but their drive stalled and punted the ball back to Wortham.
On the second play of the drive, Bulldog running back Tanner Bean took off on a 53-yard run to the Cayuga a 15. Bean finished the drive with a six-yard run and he would add the conversion run to tie the game at 8-8.
Bulldogs building a wall, behind the historic rock wall, to prevent Cayuga from scoring. (Photos by Jennifer Lansford)
Cayuga would regain the lead on their next drive. The 13 play, 52-yard drive took some time off the clock and quarterback Logan Vaughan would score on a one-yard run. Vaughan tossed to Killion for the conversion and the Wildcats led 16-8.
The Wildcats tried an on sides kick that did not go ten yards and then Cayuga was penalized five yards for illegal touching, setting the Bulldog offense at the Wildcat 43. On second down from the 48, Bean dropped to pass and hit a leaping Cade McCoslin at the Cayuga 22-yard line. Bean would keep on the next play and rip through the Cayuga defense for the 22-yard run. He completed the pass to Cash Perez for the conversion, but the pass was incomplete, and the Wildcats held onto a 16-14 lead.
The Bulldog defense held and forced the Wildcats to punt.
Beginning at the Wortham 41, the Bulldog offense stalled, and the punter suffered a loss and Cayuga took over at the Bulldog 35. The Wildcats needed five plays and Daniel Torres scored on a two-yard run to open the gap for Cayuga. Scruggs ran in the conversion and the Wildcats enjoyed their largest lead of the game at 24-14.
The Wortham offense was not finished for the half. Tanner Bean took the snap and hit Lane McDaniel for a moderate gain downfield. McDaniel broke a tackle and ended up in the end zone completing a 59-yard scoring play. The run for two was no good and the Bulldogs closed to within four at 24-20 with just under two minutes to play in the half.
The defenses took over in the second half and it was the Bulldog defense that struck in the third quarter. Wortham missed on fourth down and Cayuga had the ball and they faced a third down. Vaughan dropped to pass, and his throw was intercepted by Lane McDaniel and raced untouched 39 yards for the go ahead score. Bean added the conversion run for the 28-24 lead with 36 seconds remaining in the quarter.
Cayuga had a chance to get the lead in the fourth quarter, but the Bulldog defense rose to the occasion. The Wildcats used 11 plays to reach the Bulldog two but fumbled and were pushed back to the six-yard line. The pass into the end zone on fourth down fell incomplete and the Bulldog defense turned the Wildcats away and the offense went back to work.
Wortham would run 12 plays and cross midfield and ran out the remaining time on the clock to preserve the 28-24 win.
Tanner Bean neared 200 yards rushing and had a punt return touchdown called back and McDaniel caught a touchdown pass and the interception return.
(Photos by Jennifer Lansford)
NOTE: Friday’s Varsity football game against Marlin has been cancelled due to positive COVID cases in Marlin.
