Bulldogs cage the Blackcats

The El Dorado Springs Bulldog football team traveled to Waynesville on Friday night to take on the Herculaneum Blackcats and came away with a 52-6 win.

ElDo began the night on offense and Tanner Witt gained 21 yards on the first play of the game. Trenton Hardie scored on the second play from 42 yards out and Trey Babcock added the 2-point conversion to put the Bulldogs up 8-0.

On the first Herky drive, the Blackcats went 3-and-out and punted the ball to ElDo. The Bulldogs began driving down the field again but a fumble gave the Blackcats the ball at their own 39-yard line. Herky drove down to the ElDo 31-yard line where they faced a 3rd and 12 situation. The Blackcats fumbled the snap and the play appeared to be broken but the QB picked the ball up and hit a receiver down field for the score to make it an 8-6 game.

Five plays into the next drive Babcock hit Shelby McKinney for a 43-yard touchdown pass to put ElDo up 14-6.

On the next Blackcat drive, Wyatt Graves stripped the ball from the Herky running back and ran it 46 yards into the endzone for another Bulldog touchdown. Babcock added the two-point conversion to give ElDo a 22-6 lead, which is how the first quarter ended.

Herculaneum would begin the second quarter with the ball and facing a 4th and 1 from their own 40-yard line, the Black Cats elected to go for it. The Bulldog defense came up big stopping the Herky ball carrier behind the line and giving the ElDo offense the ball once again. Two plays later, Hardie ran the ball in from 33-yards out while Witt added the 2-point conversion giving the Bulldogs the 30-6 lead.

The Blackcats then went on a 14-play drive that stalled out at the ElDo 35-yard line. The Bulldogs then went on a 7-play drive that was capped off when Witt dashed 34 yards down the field for a touchdown. Colton Collins added the 2-point conversion to give ElDo a 38-6 lead, which is how the half would end.

On the first play of second half the Bulldogs managed to strip the Blackcats ball carrier to give the ElDo offense the ball. Three plays later, Hardie scored on a 56-yard touchdown run. Keilan Jaques added the 2-pont conversion to give ElDo a 46-6 lead and making the clock run continuously. Herculaneum was again blown off of the ball on a 4th and 1 play from their own 39-yard line bringing the ElDo offense back on the field. Five plays later, Brayden Housh hit McKinney on a 28-yard touchdown pass putting the Bulldogs up 52-6, which is how the game would end.

Of the 441 yards gained by ElDo, Trenton Hardie led the way with 161 rushing yards on 7 carries and scoring 3 touchdowns, while Shelby McKinney caught 2 touchdown passes for 71 total yards. Defensively, Blake Holder led the way with 15 tackles, while Dakota Long added 14. Keilan Jaques pitched in 12 tackles while also having 2.5 tackles for loss.

The Bulldogs (3-3) next travel to Class 3 East Newton on Friday night.

From the stat sheet, Trenton Hardie scored three TDs on sdeven carries for 161 yards. Tanner Witt ran the ball five times for 71 yards, 1 TD and eight points. Jake Schieffere carried three times for 31 yards. Trey Babcock ran once for tree yards and four points. Keilan Jaques carried once for five yards and two points. Cade Whitesell rushed four times for 33 yards. Branden Housh ran twice or 24 yards. Cade Whitesell rushed four times for 33 yards. Colten Collins ran twice gaining seven yards and two points. Brayden Housh rushed twice for 24 yards. Isaak Shaddenran the ball three times for 10 yards. Gaven Morgan ran once for three yards. Taylor Wingert ran the ball once for five yards. Clayton Collins rushed once for seven yards.

On defense, Trey Babcock made two tackles and got half a TFL (tackle for a loss). Hunter Boyles made one tackle. Colton Collins had two tackles. Dylan Galette made two tackles one of them half a TFL. Trey Graves had one tackle. Wyatt Graves made four tackles, had 1.5 TFL forced two fumbles and recovered one fumble. Trenton Hardie made two tackles and recovered a fumble. Cameron Hargrove made one tackle, a sack. Blake Holder had 15 tackles, half a TFL and forced one fumble. Brayaden Housh made two tackles. Ricky Huff had one tackle. Keilan Jaques made 12 tackles and had 2.5 TFL and forced a fumble. Dakota Long made 14 tackles and had half a TFL. Dagan McIntire had three tackles and half a TFL and one sack. Shelby McKinney made six tackles one of them half a TFL. Gaven Morgan had two tackles. Bryson Rader had one tackle. Kaleb Raff made four tackles. Gavin Reed had five tackles, one for half a TFL. Jake Schieffer made five tackles.  Lance Smith had one tackle. Tanner Witt made four tackles, 2.5 TFLs.