The Amherst Bulldogs’ varsity football team won their home contest over the Christ the King Golden Lions on Thursday, 546.
With the win, the Bulldogs improve to 1-1 overall on the season.
The Golden Lions got the ball to open the contest, but they were stuffed on four consecutive runs, as Amherst forced a turnover on downs with 8:24 remaining in the first quarter.
The Bulldogs took over at their own 34-yard line, as Aiden Rodriguez took the pitch from Joel Garcia around the right side for a 46-yard touchdown run with 8:14 left to play in the opening quarter. His kick was good, making the score, 8-0.
The onside kick was recovered by Garcia at the Christ the King 31-yard line, giving the Bulldogs the ball with great field position. Garcia’s pass fell incomplete on first down looking for Oscar Contreras and Rodriguez picked up a yard on second down to bring up third and 14. Garcia dropped back on third down and fired a pass to Rodriguez that fell incomplete, but the Golden Lions were flagged for a late hit, moving the ball down to their eight-yard line to set up first and goal.
Rodriguez carried the ball on first down, picking up four yards, but he was stuffed on second down, backing them up to third and goal from the sevenyard line. Garcia’s third-down pass was dropped by Rodriguez, bringing up fourth down. The Bulldogs elected to go for it, as Garcia dropped back and fired a pass to his left, connecting with Rodriguez for the seven-yard touchdown with 6:24 to play in the quarter. The kick from Rodriguez was good, pushing their lead to, 16-0.
Christ the King recovered the onside kick, taking over at their own 33-yard line. They would push the ball into Amherst territory, but on fourth and 12 from the Amherst 30-yard line their pass to the middle of the field was broken up by Contreras for a turnover on downs with 4:38 to play in the first quarter.
The Bulldogs took over at their own 33- yard line, as Garcia’s pass on first down fell incomplete looking for Guillermo Pacheco. Rodriguez picked up five yards on second down and on the next play, Garcia found Jose Flores, who took the ball into Golden Lion territory to the 26-yard line, giving them a fresh set of downs.
The Bulldogs had nothing going on first and second down, but on third and long from the 30- yard line, Garcia dropped back, avoided a sack and con- nected with Pacheco in the endzone for the 30-yard touchdown strike with 2:32 to play in the quarter. The kick from Rodriguez was good, stretching their lead to, 24-0.
Christ the King covered the onside kick at their own 35-yard line and would take the ball down to the Amherst 24-yard line, as their drive extended into the second quarter. But, on third and 10, a pass was tipped up and brought down by Garcia, who took it 60 yards the other way for the pick-six with 9:43 remaining in the half. The kick was no good this time from Rodriguez, leaving the score, 30-6. Uriah Clark recovered the onside kick for the Bulldogs, but after driving down to the threeyard line, Garcia connected with Flores on fourth and goal, for the would-be touchdown, but he had the ball stripped out in the endzone for a turnover on downs with 5:29 to play in the first half.
Christ the King took over at their own three-yard line and was able to move the ball up to their own 20-yard line, but a bad snap on third down was scooped up by Rodriguez around the threeyard line and returned for the touchdown with just under two minutes remaining in the half. The kick was no good leaving the score, 36-0.
Christ the King fielded a short kick-off from Amherst and they were able to drive 41-yards down the field, capping off the drive with a 20-yard touchdown pass, trimming the lead to, 36-6, after the missed kick with 15.1 seconds to play in the first half. The score would stand going into halftime.
Amherst got the ball to begin the second half, as they started the drive at their own 28-yard line. Rodriguez took a run to his left before cutting all the back across the field for a huge gain, down to the Golden Lion’s 11-yard line to set up first and goal. On the next play, he took a carry up the middle, but had the ball stripped out and it was recovered by Christ the King with 9:36 to play in the third quarter.
Christ the King marched all the way down to the Amherst eightyard line, but on first and goal, they were picked off by Rodriguez, giving Amherst the ball at their own seven-yard line with 3:41 to play in the third.
Four consecutive runs by Rodriguez set the Bulldogs up with second and seven from their own 31-yard line and Garcia followed it up with a run across midfield to the Golden Lion’s 35yard line, as Amherst took a time out with 36.9 seconds to play in the quarter. Out of the break, Garcia took a carry to his left for a 36-yard touchdown with 26.5 seconds to play in the quarter. The kick was no good, leaving the score, 42-6.
Christ the King took over after the onside kick at their own 31yard line, taking the drive into the fourth quarter, but with 8:43 remaining, Rodriguez picked up a fumble and returned it 41-yards for the touchdown, making the score, 48-6, after the missed kick.
Christ the King’s next possession would end with a turnover on downs and Amherst would close out the game three plays later with a 13-yard touchdown run by Garcia, with 7:04 left in the game, making the score, 54-6, as the 45-point mercy rule kicked in.
The Bulldogs will play Springlake-Earth’s JV on Thursday.
Kick-off is slated for 7:30 p.m.