The Wortham Bulldogs won their third straight season opener and eight of their last nine with a convincing win over the Itasca Wampus Cats 42-0 at historic Bulldog Stadium Friday night. Wortham rolled up nearly 500 yards of offense on the night in the shutout win.
Tanner Bean led all rushers with 192 yards on 14 carries and four touchdowns and the Bulldog defense forced five turnovers in the season opener.
Itasca took the ball on their first possession and picked up a quick first down, but two plays later, Michael Chasteen recovered a Wampus Cat fumble forced by the Bulldog defense. After the teams exchanged punts, Wortham drove 76 yards on three plays. Junior Ryken Lewis broke away on a 56-yard run and running back Tanner Bean took care of the final six yards for the touchdown. Bean added the conversion run for early 8-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
The Bulldog defense had a second takeaway in the first quarter when junior linebacker Preston Sterling sacked Itasca quarterback Buddy Jackson for a loss and he lost the football and Jason Evans recovered the ball. The Bulldogs needed only six plays to add points on the scoreboard with a Bean five-yard run. Bean added the conversion and the lead stretched to 16-0.
Nearing the end of the first quarter, the Lewis tossed a pass to freshman Yancey Bean and he was tackled behind the line of scrimmage. He lost the football and Tanner Bean scooped it up and completed the play in the endzone by racing 70 yards for the score. The extra point was no good and the Bulldogs led 22-0 after one.
The Bulldog offense needed four rushing plays on the first possession of the second half when Bean rushed the final 27 yards for the touchdown. The conversion failed but the lead swelled to 28-0. Wortham added another touchdown when Lewis connected with Cash Perez for a 75-yard catch and run to set the score at 34-0.
The Bulldog defense had a fourth takeaway early in the fourth quarter and ended the only threat the Wampus Cats made the entire night.
Sophomore Hernesto Reyes took the handoff on the first play of the drive and he raced up the middle for the 75-yard touchdown run.
Freshman reserve quarterback Jon Ross Black ran in the conversion for the eventual final score at 42-0.
Derek Bullard and Eli Norcross had interceptions for the Bulldog defense and kept the Wampus Cats off the scoreboard.
Wortham will travel to its first road contest when they take on the Rosebud-Lott Cougars at Travis.
(Photos by Jennifer Lansford)
