The Wortham Bulldogs exploded with 32 second half points to blow open the game in Bethel and the Bulldogs dominated the Cayuga Wildcats 48-20 Friday night.
Tanner Bean scored three touchdowns and converted six two point runs for the big offensive night for the Bulldogs. He added 232 rushing yards and the Bulldog defense took over from there with a couple of sacks and forcing three turnovers.
The Bulldog defense stopped a Cayuga drive to begin the game and they turned the ball over on downs. On the first play from scrimmage for the Bulldogs, John Ross Black was intercepted on a flanker pass and the Wildcats put their offense back on the field. They would need ten plays to go 69 yards and Chase Hearall threw a touchdown pass to Colt Mullican and the Wildcats took the early 6-0 lead.
Wortham went to work at midfield and converted a third down on a 16-yard pass to Black from quarterback Ryken Lewis. Bean would finish the drive with a 19-yard touchdown run and then add the conversion for the 8-6 in the first seconds of the second quarter.
The Wildcats regained the lead on another long drive. This nine-play drive covered 55 yards and Hearall threw his second touchdown pass of the night. He hit Shiloh Peckham for the 23-yard scored and another failed conversion only gave the Wildcats a 12-8 lead.
From there it was all Wortham. The Bulldogs took three plays to score the go-ahead touchdown. Bean had a 40-yard run inside the ten-yard line. Two plays later, Hernesto Reyes took the handoff for the four-yard sweep that would get him into the endzone and the Bulldogs took the lead for good with a 16-12 halftime lead.
Wortham took the first possession of the second half and made easy work to score. A 49-yard run by Bean put the Bulldog offense at the Wildcat two-yard line which would be scored on the next play. Bean added his third conversion run for the 24-12 lead.
Dawson Norcross recovered a fumble forced by defensive lineman Jason Evans and Wortham need one play to go 17 yards. Lewis hit Cash Perez for the 17-yard touchdown pass and the Bean conversion run for the 32-12 lead.
Cayuga had to punt and the next Bulldog possession was at the Wortham 27. Bean took the handoff and shortened the field on the 73-yard run to extend the lead to 40-12 following his fifth conversion run.
Cayuga added a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter on a pass to Hearall from Jacorie Bradley and the Wildcats converted the pass to cut the lead to 40-20.
Wortham matched that score on their final possession of the night. The Bulldog offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage and Lewis would score on a 22-yard run. Bean added his sixth conversion run for the final score of 48-20.
The Wortham Bulldogs will return back home to historic Bulldog Stadium when they will host the Marlin Bulldogs for the fist time in school history. Marlin lost to Lexington on Friday and will play the visitor on the Wortham Homecoming 2021.
(Photos by Melissa Perez)
