The Wortham Bulldogs threw for five touchdown and cruised past the Hico Tigers 62-7 on Friday night in Hico.
This is the first meeting in school history between the two teams and the Bulldogs came into the game with wins over their previous two games over Hubbard and Meridian.
Wortham took the first possession and marched downfield, covering 59 yards in six plays. Senior quarterback Ryken Lewis passed to Cash Perez and he ran downfield and was stopped short of the goal line. Lewis scored on the quarterback sneak and on the Tanner Bean conversion run, the Bulldogs were on their way at 8-0 with 9:01 remaining in the first quarter.
The Bulldogs recovered the kick when the returner had the ball knocked away from Perry Freeman and Preston Batts covered it at the Tiger 34. Lewis found Bean out of the backfield for the short dump pass and he raced the rest of the way on the one play drive. Bean added the conversion for a quick 16-0 lead.
Preston Sterling broke through and sacked Tiger quarterback Wyatt Honea and the short punt put the Bulldogs offense back on the field at the Tiger 29-yard line. After three plays, the Bulldogs faced a fourth and one at the Tiger 20. Bean took the handoff and ripped through the Hico defense on the touchdown run. Lewis passed to Jake Bayer for the conversion and the lead swelled to 24-0 after the first quarter.
Hico turned the ball over on downs at the Wortham 26-yard line in what was their only deep threat offensively. Lewis had one of his best runs of the season on a 45-yard burst and then he was called for intentional grounding when he threw the ball away avoiding a sack. The Bulldogs could not go any further and punted at 4th and 31 near midfield. The punt rolled to the Hico two-yard line and the Tigers were backed up against their own end of the field.
On the first play of the drive, Javier Guerrero took the handoff and the Bulldog defensive line caved in the offensive line, led by Jason Evans and the Bulldogs earned a safety and extended the lead to 26-0.
Off the free kick, the Bulldog offense went back to work. Bean had two runs for first downs and converted a fourth down. Lewis ran for a first down on third and five from the Tiger 25. Lewis found Jon Ross Black for the nine-yard touchdown and the lead grew to 34-0 on the Bean conversion run.
Hico marched inside the Wortham 30-yard line with the help of a couple of penalties on the Wortham defense, but the drive would stall and Wortham would take possession on the Tiger 22.
Lewis was hitting all his passes and tossed a short pass to Kymani Johnson and he turned the short pass into a long play that covered 68 yards to the Tiger 10-yard line. Three plays later, Lewis passed to Bean for his second receiving touchdown of the night, this from 14 yards out. The conversion was no good and the Bulldogs led 40-0 at the half.
Hico took the second half kickoff and a fumble turned possession over to the Bulldogs. Preston Sterling covered the loose ball and the Bulldog offense took over at midfield. It took only one play for the Bulldogs to add to the lead. Lewis passed to Johnson for the 50-yard score and the lead grew to 46-0 with the missed conversion.
A three and out situation for the Tigers forced a punt and the Bulldogs used their second one play drive of the second half. The handoff to Johnson and he sprinted through the Tiger defense on the 69-yard touchdown run. Preston Batts ran in the conversion and the Bulldogs led 54-0.
Guerrero took the kickoff for the Hico return team on the ensuing kickoff and he moved through the Bulldog coverage team for an 80-yard touchdown and put the Tigers on the board. Jonathon Sandia kicked the extra point and the Bulldog lead was 54-7.
The final moments were with a running clock for the third consecutive week and the Bulldogs put one other touchdown on the board before the night was finished. Lewis passed to Bayer for the score and Batts added his second conversion and the final score was set at 62-7.
Ryken Lewis completed eight of 18 passes for 221 yards and five touchdowns and Johnson had two catches for 118 yards and a touchdown as well as five carries for 102 yards and another touchdown.
Wortham remains tied with the Mart Panthers on top of District 10-2A Division II at 3-0. Dawson is a half game back at 2-0 with the bye week. Wortham will host its annual homecoming game with a date with the Frost Polar Bears.
(Photos by Melissa Perez)
