The Wortham Bulldogs only had five wins in school history over the Hubbard Jaguars and they began 10-2A Division II play with a dominating win in Hubbard on Thursday night.
Wortham was 5-30-1 against Hubbard and had never topped the 40-point mark ever in the series. They began to erase both in the first half of an offensive explosion when the Bulldogs took a 46-6 lead at the half.
The game was moved to Thursday to allow adequate officials for the contest and the Bulldogs delivered a stellar performance. Wortham took the first possession and the dominate offensive line led by Jason Evans and Anthony Fortoul marched 54 yards in nine plays, all on the ground. Tanner Bean wound his way through the defense for a five-yard touchdown run with 7:50 remaining in the first quarter. Bean also added the conversion for the early 8-0 lead.
The Jaguars began the game with a good drive with the running of sophomore Kendan Johnson and Shelby Noppeney. They move into Bulldog territory and Noppeney ended a 17-yard run by having it knocked out of his hand. Caleb Betts recovered the ball the Wortham defense turned away Hubbard early in the game.
The first quarter would end with the 8-0 score, but the Bulldogs turned up the intensity in the second 12-minute cycle. After a short punt, Wortham began at the Jaguar 38. Freshman Yancey Bean rushed for a 35-yard gain to the Hubbard three and Tanner Bean, the older brother, ran in the final three yards for the touchdown. He added the conversion for the 16-0 lead with less than a minute gone in the second quarter.
On the kickoff, the ball came loose and Derek Bullard recovered deep in Hubbard territory. The Bulldogs needed one play to extend the lead. Junior quarterback Ryken Lewis found a wide-open Cash Perez for the 26-yard touchdown and he rumbled into the endzone. Tanner Bean added the conversion for the 24-0 lead.
The Jaguars punted again and the Bulldogs went back to work with big yardage on minimal plays. Yancey Bean had a 16-yard run across midfield to the Hubbard 47. Tanner Bean took the handoff and ran over Johnson, playing a linebacker, and raced 47 yards with a great cutback to finish the touchdown run. He added the conversion run, the 14th consecutive for the Bulldogs over a three-game span for the 32-0 lead with still 7:38 remaining in the first half.
Hubbard punted with a three and out and Betts caught the kick on a bounce and returned it 15 yards to the Jaguar 45. It only took three plays for the Bulldogs with the final on a fullback dive to Dawson Norcross and he cut upfield for the 15-yard touchdown. Daniel Mersi, the German exchange student, kicked the extra point in his first game of the season and the Bulldogs stretched the lead to 39-0.
Hubbard put together a good drive near the end of the first half. The Jaguars went 66 yards in seven plays and Johnson hit Kevin Whitworth for the 28-yard touchdown. The try for two was knocked down and the Bulldogs led 39-6 with just over a minute remaining in the half.
The Bulldogs used that time for their final score of the first half. Lewis hit Perez for a 31-yard gain inside the Hubbard 20. On third down from there, Lewis scrambled to avoid a sack, rolled back to his right and threw to the back of the endzone on the left side. Yancey Bean was wide open and caught the touchdown with 24 seconds remaining and the lead stood at 46-6 following the Mersi extra point.
Hubbard took the first possession of the second half and completed a 65-yard drive with a Johnson touchdown run cutting the lead to 46-12.
The final score of the game came in the latter moments of the third quarter. Wortham began a drive at the Hubbard 47 and marched that distance in nine plays. Tanner Bean finished the drive with a three-yard score, his fourth touchdown of the game. The extra point had a mishandled snap and Lewis could not score on the conversion run and the score finished at 52-12.
Both Bean brothers topped the 100-yard mark on the night with Tanner carrying 12 times for 150 yards and four touchdowns and Yancey with 102 rushing yards and the receiving touchdown.
Wortham joins Mart and Bremond atop the standings at 1-0 and will travel to Frost to take on the Polar Bears on Friday. Frost lost to Bremond 54-12 in their district opener.
(Photo by Jennifer Lansford)
