The Mart Panthers built a 26-0 halftime lead and cruised to a 61-8 home win over the Wortham Bulldogs Friday night. The Panthers pick up their first district win and only their second win of the season. The Bulldogs are still seeking their first win of the season.
Mart continues their dominance of the Bulldogs since they were aligned with them several years ago.
The Panthers took the first possession and quickly put points on the board. Ayden Lauderdale completed both pass attempts on the 45-yard drive, the second one a 27-yard pass to Ethan Hocking.
The point after, also by Lauderdale, was good and the Panthers led 7-0.
The Bulldogs were forced to punt, and the short punt set the Panthers back at midfield. This drive took nine plays, mostly the running of Ah’Maad Scott. Lauderdale took the final play himself on a four-yard touchdown and the lead swelled to 13-0 with just under four minutes remaining in the first quarter.
Wortham had to punt early in the second quarter, and the Panthers were pinned back inside their own 20. On the second play of the drive, Lauderdale lofted a pass over the middle to Hocking and he did the rest, completing a 72-yard score. The point after was good and the lead was 20-0.
The Bulldog defense made the highlight reel with a Blake Hadden sack, forced fumble, fumble recovery and 13-yard return to inside the Panther 25. They moved as close as the 14 and chose to go on a fourth-down play. On fourth and 11, the pass from Trynen Cawthorn to Kasen Calame was short and the ball went back to the Panthers.
Lauderdale and his Panther offense moved 87 yards in eleven plays and converted a pair of third downs on the drive. Lauderdale passed to Jarrett Hanna for the 11-yard score and the lead grew to a 26-0 halftime lead.
The Bulldogs took the first possession of the second half and went on one of their most impressive drives of the season. Cawthorn passed to Kaedon Busby to convert third down twice on the possession and Jocxi Mejia ripped off a 20-yard touchdown run for the score. Cawthorn passed to Evan McCoslin for the conversion pass and the Bulldogs cut the lead to 26-8.
Carmelo Medlock ran around left end for a 70-yard touchdown to get the score back and then the Bulldogs lost a fumble on the first play of the possession. Andrew Wylie recovered the loose ball, and Mart took over at the Wortham 25. Lauderdale passed to Damien Davis in the front of the end zone and completed the one play scoring drive. Mart had two scores within sixteen seconds and led 40-8.
Mart had another one play drive early in the fourth quarter. After a Bulldog punt, the Panthers had the possession at the Wortham 41. Quinn Preston took the quick handoff, and he broke a couple of tackles on his way to a 41-yard touchdown run. Scott added an 18-yard run and Medlock had his second touchdown on a 43 yard run to close out the scoring and the Panther 61-8 win.
Chilton, Bremond, and Goldthwaite remain tied on top of the District 10-2A Division II standings.
Mart picked up their first win in the district race and Wortham is winless in district play.
The Bulldogs will take to the road and travel to Meridian to battle the Yellowjackets. Meridian has one win in the district season when they defeated Hubbard 10-6 in the district opener.
