ADDISON – The first regional game for the Addison Bulldogs proved to be plenty for them to handle as they advanced to 3-0 this season with another win this week against the Southeastern Mustangs.
Addison hosted the Mustangs, won the coin toss and elected to receive and used their first drive to show their mighty running game, rushing 44 yards with four different players on five different plays for a touchdown in less than three minutes of the opening quarter. Running back Zeb Maze was the player to finally enter the end zone after a 4-yard rush and his first touchdown of the night. Their 2-point attempt was no good and held the score at 6-0, Bulldogs.
Southeastern’s opening drive started off slow as the Bulldog defense forced them to a 4th down punt to Addison’s Chandler Cookenmaster, who returned it for a 60-yard run and put the ball on the Mustangs’ 28-yard line. With such good field position, it took only two plays before Addison’s Noah Rice ran in for a 21-yard touchdown followed by a 2-point conversion that put the ‘Dogs up 14-0 against the ‘Stangs.
Southeastern knew they had to do something to slow down the pace but failed to do so on their first play of their second possession as it resulted in a fumble recovered by Addison.
Rice came in as quarterback and floated an interception that gave Southeastern one more chance to turn the tables early. Unfortunately, three straight incomplete passes for the ‘Stangs and a bad punt put the Bulldogs again in charge of the ball on their opponent’s 8-yard line.
A 10-yard penalty called against the ‘Dogs meant more room to run for Rice, who rushed 18 yards for another first-quarter touchdown, putting Addison up 20-0.
The Bulldogs kicked off to the hesitant Mustangs, who ended up on their own 1-yard line. Crazy as it sounds, 2nd and 10 to go with 99 yards ahead of them, Southeastern passed to Jordan Graham off a quick slant and although he stepped out of bounds, the refs didn't see it and he ran the entire length of the field for a touchdown. Undoubtedly a bad call, but Southeastern set the score 20-7 at the end of the first.
As the second quarter started Addison stuck to their running game and scored early and were up 26-7 with 11:18 to go in the first half.
The Bulldog defense continued to not allow the Mustangs much offense and forced the punt again. With Addison getting their seventh possession, they scored their fifth touchdown, making the score 32-7 with help from Benjamin Robinson, who rushed 44 yards on the drive and had 100 yards and two touchdowns in the first half.
The Bulldogs still weren't finished as they went on to score two more times before the end of the second. Once by Robinson and the other by Cookenmaster, who had 53 yards and one touchdown the first half. Both touchdowns came within 12 seconds of each other and within the last three minutes of the second quarter. As halftime began the score was Addison 46, Southeastern 7.
The Bulldogs had victory within their grasp and could smell the win of their first regional game. They didn't lose any energy at halftime, forcing Southeastern to punt on their first possession of the third quarter, which Cookenmaster returned for a touchdown. The ‘Dogs had put it out of reach from there. With the score 52-7, Addison decided no more passes; it was time to run the clock.
The Bulldogs ran eight consecutive rush plays, but had no more luck in the third at reaching the end zone. Southeastern, on the other hand, tried all they could for some passing yards but failed on all three attempts. The third quarter ended with a punt from the Mustangs.
Addison had second- and third- string offense on the field by this time and stuck with the rushes but gave up the ball after almost four minutes of the fourth quarter. The Mustangs finally found the end zone again, but just too little too late with the score 52-13 and 7:58 left in the game.
Addison’s junior varsity showed what they could do as they rushed another 27 yards and put the beatdown even harder on the Mustangs with was the final touchdown of the game, making it 60-13.
The Mustangs could only get a field goal by the last 15 seconds and made the final score 60-16.
Addison had 429 total yards for the game; they gave up only 275 yards to the Mustangs.
Addison has yet to lose this season, upping their record to 3-0 and 1-0 in the 1A, Region 7.
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