Scoop27
11-15-2014, 12:14 PM
By JOEL LUNA joel.luna@thefacts.com
WALLER — Fighting off a determined Caldwell Hornets nest in the second half Friday, the Sweeny Bulldogs held on for a 32-27 win at Waller Stadium in the Class 4A Division II bidistrict matchup.
With some big plays down the stretch on both sides of the ball, Sweeny (7-4) will now face La Marque in the area round after they beat Hamshire-Fannett (45-27).
The Bulldogs, who led from start to finish, were clinging to a 32-21 lead after backup quarterback Dallas Blackstock found Blayne Bailey downfield for a 37-yard score on fourth and nine.
The score came with 5:10 remaining, after the extra point was blocked. Blackstock stepped in for an injured Cody Erikson. Erikson was tackled on the sideline and came up limping earlier in that same scoring drive.
What seemed like a clinching score for the Bulldogs was not to be, because Hornet quarterback Joseph Crnkovic found Caleb Bardin downfield for a 59-yard score on first down. Though the two-point attempt was no good when Crnkovic was stopped short of the end zone, Caldwell was back in it with 4:53 left, 32-27.
Up until that point the Bulldogs, who have been hurt by the turnover bug during the season, only had one. And on the Bulldogs’ next possession, Blackstock tried extending a play on first down as he lost the ball back to the Hornets at their own 34-yard line.
Caldwell, which at times moved the ball pretty effectively against the Bulldogs, only generated 8 yards on four plays as Sweeny’s defense stiffened.
“They played well,” Sweeny coach Joseph Olguin said afterward.
More importantly, the Hornets burned their last two timeouts as they handed the ball back to Sweeny with 3:10 left on the clock.
The Bulldogs, who were coming off a tough loss at Wharton in the final regular season game, also had a quarterback controversy as Erikson and Blackstock competed during the week to see who would get the nod against Caldwell.
Erikson (9-16-1, 132 yards) was under center to start the game and on the Bulldogs’ first series served notice this would be a different night. Erikson guided Sweeny on an eight-play 58-yard drive, getting a big 16-yard run along the way and finishing it up by finding Bailey on a 26-yard strike down the middle of the field to take a 6-0 lead.
The Hornets, who didn’t have much luck against the Sweeny defense in their first series, fumbled the ball away in their second possession as Jaylin Carter came up with the ball.
With the ball at the 49 of Caldwell, the Bulldogs were also welcoming back senior Anthany Simmons (20-138 yards) after he missed four games. Simmons was a rock in the backfield, gaining 17 tough yards in that second scoring drive for the Bulldogs.
But it was Erikson again with his arm as he found Bailey for 31 yards on second and eight to move the ball to the 4-yard line. Two plays later, Erikson scampered in from the five.
With a 12-0 lead, the Hornets cut the lead to 12-7.
But Erikson and the Bulldogs continued to thrive offensively. Starting at their own 29-yard line, Erikson and Bailey made some big plays. The first was on a 13-yard reception by the senior wide receiver after a first and 20 from the 50-yard line.
On fourth and five from the 35-yard line of Caldwell, Erikson’s pinpoint accuracy found Bailey at the 3-yard line. On the next play, Erikson and Bailey connected for an 18-7 lead. Then Erikson found Phillip Higgins on the two-point conversion, 20-7.
Sweeny extended its lead to 26-7 with 3:19 before halftime when Simmons ran around the Hornet defense down the sideline for a 48-yard score.
On Caldwell’s next drive, the Hornets converted on fourth and two when Crnkovic drew the Bulldog defense offsides to keep the drive going. On the next play, sophomore Keyshawn Chambers scored from 45 yards out to leave the score 26-14 at halftime.
Caldwell finished the season at 6-5 overall.
WALLER — Fighting off a determined Caldwell Hornets nest in the second half Friday, the Sweeny Bulldogs held on for a 32-27 win at Waller Stadium in the Class 4A Division II bidistrict matchup.
With some big plays down the stretch on both sides of the ball, Sweeny (7-4) will now face La Marque in the area round after they beat Hamshire-Fannett (45-27).
The Bulldogs, who led from start to finish, were clinging to a 32-21 lead after backup quarterback Dallas Blackstock found Blayne Bailey downfield for a 37-yard score on fourth and nine.
The score came with 5:10 remaining, after the extra point was blocked. Blackstock stepped in for an injured Cody Erikson. Erikson was tackled on the sideline and came up limping earlier in that same scoring drive.
What seemed like a clinching score for the Bulldogs was not to be, because Hornet quarterback Joseph Crnkovic found Caleb Bardin downfield for a 59-yard score on first down. Though the two-point attempt was no good when Crnkovic was stopped short of the end zone, Caldwell was back in it with 4:53 left, 32-27.
Up until that point the Bulldogs, who have been hurt by the turnover bug during the season, only had one. And on the Bulldogs’ next possession, Blackstock tried extending a play on first down as he lost the ball back to the Hornets at their own 34-yard line.
Caldwell, which at times moved the ball pretty effectively against the Bulldogs, only generated 8 yards on four plays as Sweeny’s defense stiffened.
“They played well,” Sweeny coach Joseph Olguin said afterward.
More importantly, the Hornets burned their last two timeouts as they handed the ball back to Sweeny with 3:10 left on the clock.
The Bulldogs, who were coming off a tough loss at Wharton in the final regular season game, also had a quarterback controversy as Erikson and Blackstock competed during the week to see who would get the nod against Caldwell.
Erikson (9-16-1, 132 yards) was under center to start the game and on the Bulldogs’ first series served notice this would be a different night. Erikson guided Sweeny on an eight-play 58-yard drive, getting a big 16-yard run along the way and finishing it up by finding Bailey on a 26-yard strike down the middle of the field to take a 6-0 lead.
The Hornets, who didn’t have much luck against the Sweeny defense in their first series, fumbled the ball away in their second possession as Jaylin Carter came up with the ball.
With the ball at the 49 of Caldwell, the Bulldogs were also welcoming back senior Anthany Simmons (20-138 yards) after he missed four games. Simmons was a rock in the backfield, gaining 17 tough yards in that second scoring drive for the Bulldogs.
But it was Erikson again with his arm as he found Bailey for 31 yards on second and eight to move the ball to the 4-yard line. Two plays later, Erikson scampered in from the five.
With a 12-0 lead, the Hornets cut the lead to 12-7.
But Erikson and the Bulldogs continued to thrive offensively. Starting at their own 29-yard line, Erikson and Bailey made some big plays. The first was on a 13-yard reception by the senior wide receiver after a first and 20 from the 50-yard line.
On fourth and five from the 35-yard line of Caldwell, Erikson’s pinpoint accuracy found Bailey at the 3-yard line. On the next play, Erikson and Bailey connected for an 18-7 lead. Then Erikson found Phillip Higgins on the two-point conversion, 20-7.
Sweeny extended its lead to 26-7 with 3:19 before halftime when Simmons ran around the Hornet defense down the sideline for a 48-yard score.
On Caldwell’s next drive, the Hornets converted on fourth and two when Crnkovic drew the Bulldog defense offsides to keep the drive going. On the next play, sophomore Keyshawn Chambers scored from 45 yards out to leave the score 26-14 at halftime.
Caldwell finished the season at 6-5 overall.