The Wortham Bulldogs built a 35-0 halftime lead and played with a running clock in the second half for the second consecutive week. The Bulldogs cruised to a win over the Meridian Yellowjackets 49-0 at Bulldog Stadium Friday night.
Wortham (5-1, 2-0) remains in step with the Mart Panthers on top of the District 10-2A Division II standings with the Dawson Bulldogs a half game back.
The Bulldogs put points on the board on their first two possessions and worked on the passing game early and it paid off. Senior quarterback Ryken Lewis completed his first four passes, three on the first drive to build a 16-0 lead.
He found Jon Ross Black, Cash Perez and Derek Bullard in the first drive, the last to Bullard on a 17-yard touchdown. Tanner Bean ran in the conversion for the early 8-0 lead.
The second drive covered 75 yards and Bean had a 38-yard run into Yellowjacket territory and Lewis converted a fourth down on a pass to Jake Bayer down to the one-yard line. Bean completed the drive and added the conversion and the Bulldogs staked a 16-0 lead heading into the second quarter.
On the first play of the second quarter, Yancey Bean and Jesse Saldana hit junior quarterback Brayden Wehmeyer and sacked him for a seven-yard loss. The ball popped loose and junior defensive lineman Anthony Fortoul scooped it up and rumbled 34 yards for the score. The extra point attempt was no good and the Bulldog lead grew to 22-0.
A short punt set the Wortham offense at the Meridian 41-yard line and Bean raced the final 29 yards for his second touchdown on the night.
Derek Bullard came on to kick the extra point and the Bulldogs led 29-0 with still 9:31 remaining in the first half.
Fortoul register a quarterback sack and Wortham took over at midfield. Lewis converted on a third down run with an 18-yard burst to the Meridian 28. Lewis passed over the Yellowjacket defense for a 28-yard touchdown with :47 remaining in the first half. The point after failed and the Bulldogs led 35-0 at the half.
Tanner Bean added a 43-yard touchdown on the first snap of the third quarter and the Bullard point after pushed the lead to 42-0 and the teams agreed to run the clock nonstop for the remainder of the game.
The reserves saw some time running the Wortham offense and they turned the ball over on downs at the Meridian 27-yard line.
The Yellowjackets were trying to avert the shutout for the second week in a row, but the hope was dashed when Wehmeyer had his pass picked off by Jon Ross Black and he returned it 24 yards for the final score of the game and the Bulldogs took the contest 49-0.
The Wortham Bulldogs will take the long trip next Friday when the visit Hico. They will take on the Hico Tigers (1-1) for the first time in school history. The game is set for a 7pm kickoff.
(Photos by Jennifer Lansford)
