Bulldogs Crush Vikings 59-0

By LOU MARTIN

The Progress

It had to be a long trip back to Las Vegas for the Valley High School football team after their crushing 59-0 defeat at the hands of Virgin Valley High School on Friday, Oct. 7.

The Vikings came into Mesquite hoping to ruin Homecoming Week in the Doghouse. When the game finally ended, the Bulldog defense had outgained the Vikings offense.

The opening kickoff was fumbled by the Vikings on their own 5 yard line. A Bulldog motion penalty moved the ball to the ten yard marker.

The next three plays set the tone of the game as the Vikings had negative yardage forcing a punt from their own 5 yard line. Bulldog returnee Chase Otteson brought a roar from the hometown crowd as he swept around the left side for a 40 yard touchdown. Kurt Felix’s point after was good giving the Dawgs a 7-0 lead minutes into the game.

The Bulldogs ensuing kickoff was again fumbled by the Vikings returnee setting up a first down on their own one yard line. Bulldog linebacker Cutler Crandall made them pay breaking through to sack the Viking quarterback for a two point safety.

The safety forced a Valley kickoff to the Dawgs from their own 20 yard marker. Otteson wasted little time making has way through the Vikings for a T.D. but it was brought back due to a Bulldog penalty.
Bulldog quarterback wasted little time hitting Otteson on a 62 yard strike for another Bulldog T.D. making the score 16-0 with only 3½ minutes expired on the first period clock.

The Dawgs kickoff was bobbled by the Vikings on their 13 yard line. Two straight sacks by the Dawgs set up a fourth and 18 yards for a first down. The Viking punt to Otteson forced a fair catch giving the Dawgs a first and ten from the Vikings 28 yard line.

Bulldog runner Martin Jordan ran for 20 yards to the Vikings 8 yard line before a fumble on the five stopped the Dawgs.

But the Dawgs struck quickly on two straight plays forcing another safety making the score 18-0 with 5:06 remaining in the first period.

Bulldog returnee Decker Lee, a J.V. player, took the ensuing kickoff to the Vikings 17 yard line. Three plays later Bulldog Q.B. Gunner Cortez hit Jared Jensen in the left corner for a 15 yard score. The point after was good giving the Dawgs a 25-0 lead with three minutes still remaining in the first period.

The Bulldog defense stopped the Vikings forcing another short punt to the Vikings 35 yard line. A motion penalty moved the ball back to the 40 where Isaiah Frieling went over left tackle on a 23 yard run. Bulldog fullback Hunter Otteson went the last 17 yards bulldozing his way through the Vikings defense for six points and a 31-0 lead for the Dawgs.

The first period ended with the Vikings sitting on a third and long. The Vikings got initial first down on a 12 yard run to begin the second period. The Vikings lost 20 yards on a run and bad snap forcing another punt.

The Dawgs began their next drive from their 42 yard line. Bulldog runner Jordan ran the right side for 37 yards before Cortez hit Joseph Waits on a 21 yard T.D. strike upping the Bulldogs lead to 38-0. The first half ended shortly thereafter.

The Bulldogs took the second half kickoff and marched down the field for 65 yards, led by Frieling who had 55 yards for the score giving the Dawgs a 45-0 advantage.

The big Bulldog lead forced a mercy rule running clock for the rest of the game. The Bulldogs added two more, scored the rest of the way on runs by Lee and Kidd Blanthorn making the final score 59-0 for the Dawgs.
“Our defense has played well all year,” said Bulldog head coach Matt Woods. “We got them down early giving our offense a short field to work with. It’s all about effort and the kids did what they had to.”
Bulldog Q.B. Cortez was a perfect 3-3 for 99 yards while Frieling led all rushers with 87 yards on the ground.

Kicker Felix improved immensely going 7-8 on point-after kicks.

The Bulldogs record went to 3-0 in league play and 6-1 overall. The Dawgs travel to Western on October 14 before hosting undefeated archrival Moapa Valley in two weeks to end the regular season.