The Wortham Bulldogs concluded a magical season with a loss to top ranked Mart in Mexia on Friday afternoon. The Bulldogs were the first team from District 10-2A Division II to be eliminated when all four district mates made the final four in the region.
Wortham quarterback #12, Ryken Lewis, looks downfield for his receiver.
Wortham went into the game as a huge underdog and Mart was ready for the run heavy Bulldog offense. The Bulldogs were able to move the ball and control some of the clock, however, the Panthers scored quick and mounted a 34-0 halftime lead.
It has been since 1928, the last time the Bulldogs defeated Mart, long before the rock wall and current game site. Wortham had been outscored 237-0 in the last four meetings, including the 49-0 loss in Wortham only three weeks ago.
Wortham won the toss and took the ball and had to punt early in the quarter. The Wortham defense forced a punt from Mart when the Panthers could not cross midfield.
After the second Wortham punt, Jonah Ross had a 40-yard punt return to the Wortham 30. It took only three plays and Neven Hickman scored on a 13-yard touchdown run. Armando Chavez hit the point after for the 7-0 lead with 3:05 remaining in the first quarter.
Mart took over near midfield after a third Wortham punt in the first quarter. Mart converted a first down on a 14-yard completion to the Bulldog 28. Four plays later, quarterback Trey Powell kept the ball and raced 16 yards for the touchdown with ten seconds remaining in the quarter. Chavez added the extra point for the 14-0 lead at the end of one.
Wortham went to the air on their next possession and Da’Marion Medlock picked off a Ryken Lewis pass and returned it 52 yards for an apparent touchdown. The score was called back on an illegal block penalty. The first play of the drive put the score back up when Powell found Brandon Lundy behind the Bulldog defense for the 47-yard touchdown completion and the 20-0 lead when the point after sailed wide left.
The Panther special teams took control on a punt. Mart returner Ross took the punt on the first bounce and used his blocking for the 71-yard touchdown and the lead stretched to 27-0. They would add another touchdown late in the first half on the second touchdown from Ross, this one a 25-yard touchdown reception.
The Wortham defense collected a couple of sacks on the first possession of the second half. Anthony Fortoul and Yancey Bean each sacked Powell and forced the Panthers to punt on a fourth and 29 from deep in their own territory. Wortham would turn their first possession over on downs on a missed fourth and one near the Mart 25.
Powell added a second touchdown on a nine-yard run and Klyderion Campbell added a 69-yard touchdown run to extend the lead. Mart would add their final touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter when Ja’Derion Bell scored on a 20-yard run.
Getting a nice tackle on the kickoff is Wortham #20, Preston Batts.
The Bulldogs recovered two fumbles in the fourth quarter and attempted to break a streak of being outscored 292-0. Wortham fumbled at the four to end one drive but quickly got it back on a fumble recovery from Dawson Norcross. The Bulldogs converted on fourth down and 17 from the Mart 33 on a completion to Caleb Betts to the Mart six-yard line. Norcross carried to the one and Lewis was stopped at the goal line.
The Bulldogs called a timeout and Norcross found a way into the end zone with a one-yard plunge to get points on the board with 16 seconds remaining in the game.
The Wortham Bulldogs overcame obstacles in the 2021 season after losing running back Tanner Bean in the second game of district play.
Wortham had to find some offense to replace him and the trial to offensive success was games against Chilton, Bremond and Mart. They entered to playoffs as the fourth-place team and topped two opponents to notch the first playoff wins in 21 years. They ended their season by playing the number one team in the state twice in November. The Bulldog coaching staff did a masterful job of putting the Bulldogs in a position to be successful and they should return a strong lineup in the 2022 season.
(Photos by Jennifer Lansford)
