The Mart Panthers had a second half rally to pull ahead and salt away a homecoming win on Friday night over the Wortham Bulldogs.
The battle of unbeaten teams in district play was worth the price of the ticket as the Bulldogs kept the game to within two scores for much of the second half and led at the beginning of the second quarter. Senior running back Tanner Bean led all rushers with 34 carries for 197 yards and a touchdown on the night.
The large crowd on hand saw the Bulldogs take the first possession and earn a quick first down but the drive stalled and they sent on the punt team for only the ninth time all season. The snap sailed over Ryken Lewis’s head and he tried to get the kick away and it was blocked by Monte Swaner and the Panthers were at the Bulldog seven-yard line. Mart needed only one play and Jonah Ross ran in the quarterback keeper and the Panthers took a quick 7-0 lead.
The Bulldogs opened their next possession and would work to take the lead. Bean had a 14-yard run to convert a third down and then a heavy-duty package with linemen Preston Sterling and Jason Evans in the backfield. Evans had a six-yard run on fourth down and the Bulldogs moved inside the Panther 20. Bean finished the drive with a 13-yard run on the first play of the second quarter. Bean added the conversion and the Bulldogs led 8-7. It was only the second time all season the Panthers trailed in a game.
Mart went on an impressive drive to retake the lead midway through the second quarter. The eleven play, 55-yard drive ended on a Ross pass to Averion Johnson pass on a 41-yard touchdown. The play was third and goal from the 41, following a sack by Cash Perez and a penalty. The extra point was no good and the Panthers led 13-8.
The Bulldogs were forced to punt and Mart began a drive at their 30-yard line. The Panther offense look to DeMontrel Medlock and he raced up the field for a 70-yard touchdown run and the Mart lead extended to 20-8.
Wortham had deep drives into Mart territory two times in the second quarter but both drives ended in Bulldog turnovers.
Mart took the second half and Ross had a 16-yard run and then completed a 15-yard pass. The Panthers moved inside the Wortham five-yard line and Ross finished the drive with a one yard run and the Panthers extended the lead to 26-8.
The Bulldogs quickly answered with the ground game continuing to move the ball against the top ranked Panthers. Bean ran for 12 and Lewis added a 29-yard run down to the Mart ten-yard line. Lewis called his own number on a four-yard run for the touchdown. The pass for two was knocked away and the Panther lead remained a dozen at 26-14.
The Panthers needed 19 seconds to answer the score. Ross faked the handoff and followed his running back up the middle on a 44-yard touchdown run to put the lead at 33-14 with 8:39 remaining in the third quarter.
Wortham did answer and did it in bruising fashion. The Bulldogs marched 75 yards in 15 plays and converted twice on fourth down, the first on a run by Evans and then a pass to Lewis from Jon Ross Black. Lewis finished the drive with a pass that was tipped in the hands of Derek Bullard and the touchdown occurred in the final minute of the third quarter. Bean added the conversion run and the Bulldogs cut the lead to 33-22.
Mart took 22 seconds this time to answer. Ja’Derium Bell raced for a 43-yard touchdown run and extended the lead to 40-22.
The Panthers added a final touchdown on a second Bell touchdown run from 70 yards to close the scoring at 47-22.
The Wortham Bulldogs now trail the Mart Panthers (8-0, 4-0) and Dawson Bulldogs (7-1, 4-0) in the District 10-2A Division II standings.
The Bulldogs will take this Friday as their open week and then face off against rival Dawson in the regular season finale. Wortham, Mart and Dawson all clinched playoff spots, the seeding is what needs to be decided in the season’s final two weeks.
(Photos by Melissa Perez)
