The Chilton Pirates began every drive in the first half in Bulldog territory and led 30-6 after the first quarter and cruised to a 44-14 win and secured a playoff spot and the Wortham Bulldogs finished out of the playoff race.
Chilton had the first possession and picked up a first down at the Wortham 34 yard line. On second down, quarterback McKeller Cook was intercepted by Caleb Betts and he returned it 26 yards to Wortham 38 yard line.
The Bulldogs then faced a third and long and sophomore quarterback Ryken Lewis had his pass intercepted by J.B. Davis and returned it on the Wortham side of the 50 yard line. A pair of long runs by the Pirate offense moved them into scoring position. Daylan Ford ran 11 yards inside the ten and Olegairo Vasquez scored on the four yard run. Cook ran in the conversion and the Pirates led 8-0.
The Pirates recovered the kick and put their offense back on the field for a short 34 yard run. Astevion Hopkins had a 20 run to the eight and he would finish those eight yards with a touchdown run. Cook ran in his second conversion for the 16-0 lead with under four minutes remaining in the first quarter.
Wortham took advantage of a late hit penalty and began at midfield. Two long runs by sophomore running back Tanner Bean, the last one from 27 yards and the Bulldogs cut into the lead to 16-6 after the failed conversion run.
Hopkins returned the kickoff 47 yards to the 28 yard line and Vasquez took the handoff on the first play of the drive. He could not find a way through the defense on the right side and reversed his field and raced the other direction for the touchdown and expand the lead to 23-6.
The Bulldogs could not earn a first down and Lewis threw the second interception to Davis, who returned it 62 yards to the Wortham 25 yard line. Luis Fernandez ran it to the 23 yard line and Cook finished the short drive with a quarterback keeper for a two yard score. The Pirates stretched the lead to 30-6 with :19 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
The first Wortham possession of the second quarter produced one first down. Lewis, however, was sacked and the Bulldogs were forced to punt. The punt was blocked and the Pirates took over at the Wortham 42. Ford passed to Cook down to the three and Ford completed the drive with a three yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter and the lead was 37-6.
Another short punt put the Pirates at the Wortham 47 for the final drive of the first half. It took seven plays, all on the ground and Fernandez went the final 20 through the Wortham defense for the touchdown. The Chilton Pirates had built a 44-6 halftime lead.
Wortham took the kickoff and returner Caleb Betts returned it 60 yards to the Chilton 15 yard line. Four running plays put the Bulldogs in the end zone, the final run a four yarder from Bean. Bean ran in the conversion to cut the lead to 44-14. This would be the final score of the game.
The Mart Panthers win the district and the Bremond Tigers finish as the runner-up. Hubbard and Chilton claim the final two playoff spots.
(Photos by Jennifer Lansford)
