The Wortham Bulldogs built a 38-0 halftime lead and cruised to a 60-8 win over the Frost Polar Bears and have sole possession of the lead in District 10-2A Division II.
The Bulldogs hosted the annual homecoming game and did not disappoint the large crowd. Wortham (7-1) used the entire roster and they must now prepare for the Mart Panthers on Friday night.
Wortham took the opening kickoff and marched easily downfield. They faced an early fourth down situation and senior running back Tanner Bean converted one play before he broke loose on a 41-yard touchdown run. The conversion was no good and the Bulldogs had a 6-0 lead.
Frost had a three plays and punt on their first possession when two passing plays fell incomplete. The punt went between the legs of returner Kymani Johnson and rolled to the Bulldog 14-yard line and the Bulldogs took over there.
The Bulldogs continue to move their offense through the air and senior quarterback Ryken Lewis hit a quick pass to Preston Batts and Tanner Bean broke through the Polar Bear defense on a 42-yard run to the Frost 34. The drive ended on a touchdown pass to Jake Bayer from the 30 and Johnson added the conversion for a 14-0 after the first quarter.
Wortham was backed into a third and long and were forced to punt and then the defense forced a turnover on downs near midfield. The Bulldogs converted a third and long on a pass connection from Lewis to Jon Ross Black for 25 yards. Lewis added a 28-yard run and Bean finished the drive with a 12-yard touchdown run. Lewis added the conversion and the Bulldog lead grew to 22-0.
Another missed fourth down set the Bulldogs on the plus side of midfield. Lewis passed to Batts for 20 yards to inside the Frost 20 and Bean again finished off the drive with a touchdown run of five yards. Lewis added his second conversion run of the quarter and the lead was 30-0 near the end of the half.
The Polar Bears faced a third straight fourth down and could not convert and the Bulldogs began at the Frost 40-yard line. Black caught a 12-yard pass to begin the drive and three plays later he caught the final play of the drive, a ten-yard touchdown pass with 29 seconds remaining in the half. Offensive lineman Jason Evans ran in the conversion and the Bulldogs led 38-0 at the half.
The Frost offense had their most impressive push of the night on the opening drive of the second half. Polar Bear quarterback Edwin Alvarado passed to Brady Martin for a 32-yard play for a first down at the Wortham 33. He would catch a 12-yard touchdown pass later in the drive but it was called back on a Frost penalty. They would turn the ball over on downs at the Wortham nine-yard line.
Wortham had a long field to work with and Black caught a 17-yard pass and Lewis had an 18-yard run crossing midfield. Lewis passed to Isaiah Tull for a 30-yard gain and Johnson finished the drive with a 25-yard touchdown run and the lead swelled to 44-0 after the failed conversion.
Frost began to move the ball in the second half and moved into the Wortham side of the field on a 25-yard pass to Eli Rogers, however, Alvarado was intercepted by Lewis and he returned it 25 yards to the Wortham 29.
Kymani Johnson took the entire drive for more points for the Bulldogs. Johnson ran for 60 yards to the Frost 11 and then finished the drive with the 11-yard touchdown run. Lewis passed to Tull for the conversion and the Bulldog lead was 52-0.
The Polar Bears would put points on the board in the final minutes of the third quarter. Gabe Martinez had a couple of long runs, including a 28-yard dash to the Bulldog 11-yard line. Mario Porter finished the seven-play drive with a three-yard plunge for the touchdown. Martinez added the conversion and Frost cut into the lead and trailed 52-8.
Wortham added some points with the reserve offense and they continued to move. Black took over calling the signals and completed a pass to Tull for 22 yards and then ran for seven and nine inside the Frost ten. He found Tull in the endzone for the five-yard touchdown to close out the scoring at 60-8.
The Wortham Bulldogs took over sole leadership of the district at 4-0 while the Mart Panthers were idle. Wortham (7-1, 4-0) will travel to Mart (7-0, 3-0) to take on the Panthers. The Dawson Bulldogs are also 3-0, and they travel to Frost to remain among the district leaders.
(Photos by Jennifer Lansford)
