The Wortham Bulldogs scored 36 points in the second quarter and coasted to a 60-35 homecoming victory at Bulldog Stadium Friday night.
ON THE TACKLE (above) is Wortham Bulldog Andrew Hagen #3 with flying reinforcement by Elijah Norcross #2.
(Photo by Jennifer Lansford)
The task for the night was neutralizing the innovative star from Frost, Ramon Manrriquez, who normally stays on the field for every play and situation. The job was completed, but not in the early moments.
The Bulldog offense had two fumbles in the first six snaps, but they were able to recover them and move the ball with a couple of first downs. They would punt and force Frost into a fourth down. Manrriquez faked the punt at the Frost 25-yard line and was stopped short and the Bulldogs took over there. They would fumble the ball away at the Frost 16-yard line.
Frost reached midfield on a couple of Manrriquez runs and J.D. Hendricks ripped off a 58-yard run inside the Bulldog five-yard line. On second down, Manrriquez ran right and then left, improvised and threw a pass to a wide-open Elijah Rios for the four-yard score. Manrriquez added the point after for the 7-0 lead.
Manrriquez line up his kickoff team and called a change and they went to the onsides kick and he allowed the ball to trickle ten yards and recovered it himself and the Polar Bears took over at midfield. Two plays later, Manrriquez ran to his left, did a complete turn around and raced up the far sideline and scored on a 47-yard touchdown run and the lead swelled to 14-0.
The Bulldog offense was able to get untracked and put together a solid drive to cut into the lead. Beginning at the 25-yard line, Wortham moved 75 yards in six plays, all runs. Bulldog running back Tanner Bean had a 26-yard run and followed with an 18-yard run to the Frost 30. He would finish the drive with a nine-yard run up the middle. He ran in the conversion to cut the lead to 14-8.
Frost answered the score quickly early in the second quarter.
Manrriquez converted a third down into a nine-yard touchdown run with 10:34 remaining in the half and the point after extended the lead to 21-8.
Wortham would score the next 36 points in the game and turn things around.
Andrew Hagen (3), celebrating Tanner Bean’s TD. (Photo by Jennifer Lansford)
The Bulldogs had a five-play drive to shrink the Polar Bear lead. Bulldog quarterback Ryken Lewis hit Lane McDaniel to convert a key third down and Bean finished the drive with a one-yard run. The try for two failed and the Bulldogs trailed 21-14.
The Wortham defense took control for the remainder of the half. Frost could not convert a third down and were forced to punt. Wortham would begin the next drive at their 26-yard line. On the second play of the drive, Lewis faked a throw and then hit a wide-open Cade McCoslin and he outran the defense for the 71-yard touchdown. Bean ran in the conversion and the Bulldogs took the lead 22-21.
Frost could not move on the next drive and the Bulldog defense forced a punt that rolled to the Wortham 15-yard line. The handoff to Bean to the left side of the line would produce a big play. Bean broke a tackle on the sideline and then another at midfield and raced down the far sideline for the 85-yard scoring run. Lewis added the conversion, and the Bulldog lead began to grow at 30-21.
The wheels began to come off of the Frost offense and they fumbled on the first play of the next possessions and Jason Evans recovered.
The bulldogs struck on the next play. Lewis hit Lane McDaniel across the middle and he broke a tackle and then found the pylon for the 36-yard touchdown pass. The conversion failed and the lead was 36-21.
Frost was having trouble moving through the stout Bulldog defense and were moving backward. Facing a third and 25, Manrriquez threw a pass up for grabs. McCoslin intercepted the pass and turned it into a 64-yard return for the final touchdown of the half. Bean had the conversion and Wortham led 44-21 at the half.
Frost took the ball to begin the second half and put a drive together. They travelled 51 yards in nine plays and Manrriquez passed to Cole Watson for the 15-yard touchdown with 7:52 remaining in the third quarter.
The Bulldogs answered on a six-yard touchdown run by Bean, his fourth of the game. He would also add the conversion, his fourth of the game and the score was 60-29.
Frost advanced deep into Wortham territory and the Bulldogs saved the best for last. McCoslin stepped in front the pass and raced 59 yards to turn the Polar Bears away. They would score in the final minute of the game to set the final score at 60-35.
Bean ended the game with 256 yards rushing and four touchdowns and Lewis completed three of five passes for 132 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
The Wortham and Frost contest was the only game that was played in the district with positive COVID tests in the Bremond/Mart game and the contest featuring Chilton and Hubbard. The positive cases in Bremond and Chilton prompted cancellation of next Friday’s games and they will move to Monday; October 21 with the Bulldogs host the Bremond Tigers on a Wednesday night. Further details will be released when more information is available.
