The Wortham Bulldog defense had a field day knocking passes down and dominated the Meridian Yellowjackts 48-10 in Meridian on Friday night. The win keeps the Bulldogs on top of the district standings with Dawson and Mart.
The Wortham defensive line knocked down six passes at the line of scrimmage and kept the Yellowjackets off the scoreboard until the fourth quarter. Evan McCoslin picked off a Meridian pass Dalen Coker recovered a fumble and returned it for a touchdown, but ita was called back on a penalty. Cash Perez blocked a punt that would set up an easy Bulldog score.
The Bulldogs tried to take advantage of a short punt. They drove to the Meridian 33 before missing on a fourth down play. The Yellowjackets would have to punt again when the drive stalled on a Perez batted down pass.
The Wortham offense began at their 28 yard line and quarterback Jon Ross Black passed to Yancey Bean for a 12 yard gain and a first down.
The Bulldogs went back to the ground and Jesse Saldana would score on a 23 yard touchdown to open the scoring. He also added the point after for the 7-0 near the end of the first quarter.
McCoslin’s interception put the Bulldogs at the Meridian 22 to open the second quarter. Black scored on the ten yard run and the Saldana extra point at 14-0.
Meridian went backwards on the next drive with a Ty Carroll sack and a couple of incomplete passes. Wortham had three big runs, a 21 yard Bean run and a pair of long runs by Black. On first and goal from the three, Perez took the handoff and moved through the defense on a three yard run and the 21-0 lead.
Meridian had two possessions and attempeted 14 passes and ended the half at the Bulldog 30.
Bean completed a pass to Black for 54 yards down to the Meridian three yard line top open the second half. Bean scored on a two yard touchdown and the Bulldogs added to the lead 28-0.
Anthony Fortoul batted down another pass and Cash Perez slipped through and blocked the Meridian punt. Lance Jones scoope it up and was tackled at the one yard line. Black scored the one yard run and the lead swelled to 35-0.
Coker recovered a fumble on the next drive when Lance Jones knocked it loose. He picked it up and scored on a 35 yard return but a penalty took the points off the board and the Bulldogs took over. Jones caught a 29 yard pass to the two yard line and Black finished with the score.
The Bulldogs led 41-0 at the end of the third quarter.
Garrett Pope tacked on a 41 yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to put the Yellowjackets on the board. Josh Nunez hit Bayden Wehmeyer with a 32 yard catch and run for their only touchdown of the game and point after cut the lead to 41-10.
On the kickoff and in the final minute of the game, the Yellowjackets kicked off to Bean and he returned the kick 86 yards for the touchdown, setting the final score at 48-10.
Wortham, Mart and Dawson have jumped out to an early lead in the District 10-2A Division II race and Wortham will host the Hico Tigers in a district contest at historic Bulldog Stadium.
(Photos by Melissa Perez)
