The Simms Bowie Pirates scored three touchdowns in the first nine minutes and made the 24-0 lead hold up in a bi-district win at Lone Oak High School Friday night. The Wortham Bulldogs end their season at 6-5.
The Pirates took the opening possession and marched downfield quickly, picking up first downs near midfield. A holding penalty moved the ball back into Pirate end of the field and then Tyner Melton took the handoff on the jet sweep and raced up field for the 59-yard touchdown run. Dylan Braley ran in the conversion and the Simms Bowie Pirates took the early 8-0 with 10:51 remaining in the first quarter.
Wortham moved their offense, but the larger Pirate defense stopped the Bulldogs and forced a punt. Simms Bowie put their offense back on the field and went to work on the running game. Lane Johnson took the sweep from the other side and scored on a six-yard touchdown run with just over five minutes remaining in the first quarter. Brayley added his second conversion run for the 16-0 lead.
Tyner Melton took advantage of a Bulldog miscue and scored on a 23-yard run with two minutes remaining in the opening quarter and the 24-0 lead would eventually be enough.
The teams played to a stalemate for the first ten minutes of the second half with neither team scoring for over 19 clock minutes. Wortham got on the board with a Yancey Bean six-yard touchdown run with 3:27 remaining in the third quarter. Quarterback Jon Ross Black passed to Jesse Saldana for the conversion and the Bulldogs cut the lead to 24-8.
It was well into the fourth quarter when the Pirates put the final score for them on the board on a Johnson three-yard run. The conversion failed and the Pirates led 30-8.
The Bulldogs put one final score up on an unusual play. Black hit Bean with a pass near the goal line and he was hit as he was crossing the plane. The ball came lose and Lance Jones fell on in for the Bulldog touchdown. Black passed to Cash Perez for the conversion and the final score would be 30-16.
The Wortham Bulldogs were the only 10-2A Division II team to fall in bi-district play. Mart, Dawson and Hico all claimed victories and moved onto to the area round of the playoffs.
Seniors playing their final game for the Bulldogs are Anthony Fortoul, Cash Perez, Javier Contreras, Dalen Coker, Rylan Langley, Hunter Arnold, James Rissmiller, Konnor Hook, and Moises Cortes.
(Photos by Melissa Perez)
