The Amherst Bulldogs’ varsity football team fell to the Follett Panthers on Friday, 79-50, at home.
With the loss, the Bulldogs drop to 1-4 overall on the year.
It was a tight game early on, with Follett holding a one score lead, 30-22, with 8:36 to go in the first half.
The Amherst kick-off failed to reach the line to gain, giving Follett the ball at the Amherst 38-yard line. However, despite the great starting field position, just a few plays into the drive, Logan Meeks had the ball stripped out by Guillermo Pacheco, who also recovered the fumble, giving Amherst possession at their own 37-yard line with 7:42 left to play in the half.
Amherst couldn’t capitalize on the turnover, as they went four-and-out, as Joel Garcia’s pass on fourth down was dropped by Aiden Rodriguez for a turnover on downs with 5:18 to play in the half.
Follett took over at the Amherst 30-yard line, as Wyatt Terrell dropped back on first down and connected with Meeks over the middle for the 30-yard touchdown pass. The kick was blocked by Amherst, leaving the score, 36-22, with 5:11 to play in the half.
Amherst took over at midfield after a short kickoff return from Oscar Contreras.
Rodriguez carried the ball on a run to the right on first down, streaking up field to set up first and goal for the Bulldogs from the 12-yard line. Two plays later, Joel Garcia would take it around the right side for a sevenyard touchdown run. He drilled the kick to trim the lead to, 36-30, with 3:42 remaining in the half.
Follett recovered the onside kick attempt from Amherst, giving them the ball at their own 34-yard line. Just two plays into the drive, Braddock Frazee dropped back and hit Meeks for a 27-yard touchdown pass with 3:23 remaining in the second frame. Terrell would run it in for the extra point, stretching their lead back out to, 42-30.
Fabian Reyes recovered the onside kick attempt, giving Amherst the ball at their own 32-yard line, as the offense came back out onto the field.
Joel Garcia kept it himself on first down, picking up 13 yards and on the next play, Rodriguez took a run to the right, taking it down to the Follett 17-yard line, for a fresh set of downs. With first and 15, Joel Garcia dropped back and hit Pacheco going across the middle, who took it into the endzone for the 17-yard touchdown pass with 2:36 remaining in the half. The kick from Joel Garcia was blocked, leaving the score, 43-36.
The Panthers got a big kick return from Terrell, giving them the ball at the Amherst 17-yard line to begin their next drive. They wasted no time finding the endzone, as Terrell finished on the drive with a 17-yard rushing touchdown. The kick from Meeks was good, pushing their lead to, 51-36, with 2:21 left to play in the second quarter.
Amherst got the ball back at their own 36-yard line, but on first down, Joel Garcia had the ball stripped out by Terrell and it was recovered by Frazee with just over two minutes to go in the half.
Follett took over at midfield and was able to drive it down to the one-yard line, before Meeks punched it in for the score. The kick from Meeks was no good making the score, 57-36, with 27.7 seconds to play in the half. The score would stand going into halftime.
Amherst would turn the ball over on downs to begin the second half, but after Follett got the ball back and drove it down deep into Amherst territory, Terrell was picked off near the goal line by Reyes, who brought it out to the Amherst 11yard line with 5:03 to play in the third quarter.
Amherst could not capitalize on the turnover, as Reyes threw the ball away on fourth and long for a turnover on downs with 3:48 to play in the quarter.
On the next play, Meeks took a carry around the left side for an 11-yard touchdown run with 3:40 left to play in the third quarter. The kick from Frazee was good, making the score, 6536.
Amherst took over at the 40-yard line, looking for any kind of offensive rhythm. Rodriguez picked up four yards on a first-down run and Joel Garcia hit Reyes with a pass to make it third and six. A pass for Rodriguez was dropped on third down, and they elected to go for it on fourth down, as Joel Garcia called his own number taking it down to the Follett 24-yard line to move the chains for the Bulldogs.
A few plays later, the Bulldogs were faced again with a fourth-and-six, as Joel Garcia dropped back, shaking off a sack from the defense, and finding Pacheco for the 15-yard touchdown with 42.1 seconds to play in the quarter. Joel Garcia would find Contreras on the extra point pass, trimming the lead to, 65-43.
Follett took over at the Amherst 30-yard line and after two plays, they were set up with first and goal from the five-yard line to begin the fourth quarter. Terrell would take a carry around the right side for the score with 9:54 to play in the game. The kick from Frazee was good, making the score, 73-43.
Both teams turned the ball over on downs during their next possessions and after a time out from Amherst, they took over on offense at their own 32yard line. Joel Garcia dropped back on first down and delivered a strike deep down the left side for Rodriguez, who carried it into the endzone for the 48yard touchdown pass with 4:04 remaining. The extra point pass to Pacheco was good, cutting the lead to, 7350.
Follett would answer a few plays later, as Meeks broke loose on a dive up the middle, taking it in for the 32-yard touchdown run. The kick from Frazee was no good, as the Panthers went on to take the contest, 79-50.
Amherst is Open this Friday and they will take on the West Texas Tornadoes on Thursday, Oct. 9th.
Kick-off is slated for 7:30 p.m.