Bulldogs pull off last-minute save
By Sam Waller
In a game that had 135 points scored, it took one last defensive play by the Moran Bulldogs on Saturday, Sept. 16 to secure a 68-67 victory over the Mullin Bulldogs at Mullin.
Moran (2-2) will try to keep the momentum going at 5:00 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23 when they host Blanket for homecoming.
At Mullin, Cotten Campbell’s fumble recovery at the Moran 3-yard line in the final minute allowed Moran to run out the clock.
“When you watch the film, we were dominating them,” Moran coach John Hughes said. “We got to the fourth quarter, and the scoreboard showed we were losing, but physically we had them beat. We were wearing those guys out.”
Ellis Hise had a hand in nine of Moran’s 10 touchdowns, Caleb York had two receiving touchdowns, and Ethan Boykin returned a kickoff to score. Campbell added four conversion kicks.
Hise rushed for 287 yards and six TDs, caught a 14-yard TD pass from Garrett Hamilton, and was 6 of 11 passing for 114 yards and two scores. York had three receptions for 75 yards. Hamilton was 2 of 6 passing for 21 yards and was joined by Campbell and Zech Henderson with a reception as Moran spread the ball around.
Moran led 22-8 early in the second quarter, then Mullin rallied and led 35-28 at halftime.
Moran played most of the game with just six players after Landon Moreno was ejected for targeting in the second quarter.
“That deflated us, and we were playing catch-up from then on,” Hughes said. “I had six kids going the rest of the way, but we outscored them in the second half.”
The teams traded scores in the second half with Moran going ahead 54-52 on Hise’s TD catch late in the third quarter.
Hise’s 6-yard TD run with two minutes to go got Moran within a point at 67-66. Campbell’s kick put the Bulldogs ahead to stay.
Hise had nine tackles, a fumble recovery, and an interception on defense. Hamilton and York each had seven tackles. York and Henderson also recovered fumbles, and Boykin blocked a kick.
Junior High
Moran’s junior high team suffered a 45-0 loss at Mullin in its second outing.
The junior high team will visit Blanket on Thursday, Sept. 21 (today).
