Bulldogs clip Eagles’ wings in 49-0 shutout

The Anton Bulldogs defense was in the Southland Eagles backfield all night, as the Bulldogs 45’ed the Eagles at halftime, 49-0, at Bulldog Stadium.

With the win, the Bulldogs improve to 2-0 overall on the season.

Anton received to open the game, as their offense took over at their own 37-yard line. Quarterback, Sergio Champion kept it himself for a carry around the left side, taking the ball into Eagles’ territory for a fresh set of downs for Anton. Gage Garcia carried the ball on the next play, picking up four yards to bring up second and 11 from the Eagles’ 18-yard line.

Rayden Cooper carried the ball around the left side on second down for an 18-yard touchdown. The kick by Champion was good, making the score, 8-0, with just under nine minutes remaining in the first quarter.

Anton recovered an onside kick, as the offense came back out on to the field to start their next drive at the Southland 36- yard line. Senior, Quinton Sherrod, pass on first down intended for Lane Vellinga was incomplete, and a run by Sherrod on second down was negated by a holding penalty on the Bulldogs, backing them up to second and 25 from their own 34- yard line.

On second and long, Sherrod kept it himself, taking off up the middle for 20 yards to make it third and five for Anton. Dylan Gaitan took the carry on the next play and picked up a first down for the Bulldogs, setting up first and goal from the Southland 12- yard line. On the next play, Sherrod connected with senior, Joseph Servantes for a 12-yard touchdown pass with 7:22 to play in the quarter. The onepoint conversion pass was good, as Sherrod connected with Servantes again, making the score, 15-0.

The Eagles offense finally made it on to the field, after the kick-off sailed out of bounds by Sherrod. They took over at the Anton 38-yard line, but were unable to generate anything, as they turned the ball over on fourth and long when Benjamin Flores was sacked by Slade Hodges with 5:43 remaining in the first quarter.

Anton took over at the Southland 25-yard line, as Gaitan took the carry on first down and cut it back across the field for a touchdown, however the play was negated by a block in the back penalty on the Bulldogs, backing them up to the 33- yard line to replay first down.

Back-to-back runs by Gaitan and Cooper had the Bulldogs set up with third and seven at the Eagles’ 17-yard line. Champion had a pass dropped in the endzone by Servantes, but they connected on fourth down to set up first and goal from the sixyard line.

Champion would hit Edmundo Avalos for the six-yard touchdown pass in the far side of the endzone with just under three minutes remaining in the quarter. The one-point conversion pass by Champion was incomplete, making the score, 21-0.

The Eagles covered the onside kick by Sherrod, as their offense took the field at their own 33-yard line. Southland was flagged for a block in the back penalty on first down and a pass from Flores fell incomplete, as he was pressured by Avalos, setting up second and 26. Flores carried the ball up the middle for five yards before being brought down by Vellinga and Servantes. But, on the following play Flores was stuffed for a loss by Hodges, bringing up fourth and 23 from their own 26-yard line.

The Eagles lined up to go for it on fourth down, but Flores’ pass fell incomplete for a turnover on downs with 52 seconds to play in the opening quarter.

Anton took over at the Eagles’ 25-yard line and wasted no time getting back to work on offense, as Cooper picked up a few yards on the first down carry. Sherrod hit Vellinga for a 22-yard touchdown pass, but again the play was negated by a penalty on the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs got one untimed play, as Sherrod scrambled for 12 yards to end the first quarter. Anton opened the second quarter with third and four from the 14-yard line, as Sherrod took it himself around the right side for a first down.

Gaitan carried it into the endzone on the next play for a seven-yard touchdown and the one-point conversion pass from Champion to Liam Fleming was good, making the score, 28-0, with 9:29 to play in the first half.

The Anton defense remained solid, as they forced another fourth and long for the Eagles. On fourth and 15, Flores was tackled for a loss by Hodges for a turnover on downs with 6:17 remaining in the second quarter.

Anton took over at their own 38-yard line and needed just one play to find the endzone, as Cooper broke loose down the home sideline, following his blockers on the way to a 38-yard touchdown run. The pass from Champion to Vellinga was good for the one-point conversion, making the score, 35-0, with 5:39 to play in the half.

Southland’s offense took the field again, but it was shortlived, as the snap was fumbled by Bryson Nelson and recovered by Garcia with 5:34 to play in the quarter.

Anton took over at their own 31-yard line, as Champion connected with Servantes for a first down, taking the ball down to the Southland 24-yard line. Garcia took a carry down the Anton sideline for a big play, but it was called back on a chop block penalty on the Bulldogs.

Anton was backed up to the 23-yard line, but Sherrod found Vellinga on the first down play for the 32-yard touchdown pass with just over five minutes remaining in the quarter. Garcia carried the ball in for the onepoint conversion, running over a Southland defender on his way to the endzone, making the score, 42-0.

The Anton defense forced another four and out for a turnover on downs with 2:39 to play in the first half, as they took over at their own 35-yard line.

The Bulldogs were flagged for a false start on first down, but Champion connected with Garcia to set Anton up with a fresh set of downs at the Southland 29-yard line. Gaitan carried the ball for 10 yards on first down and on the next play Champion was flushed from the pocket and took off down the far sideline for a 19-yard touchdown run. The one-point conversion run by Garcia was good, making the score, 49-0, with 1:01 to play in the half.

The Eagles had one last chance to extend the game into the second half, but on third and 22 a pass from Flores was dropped by a wide-open Blaine Graves. On fourth and long, Flores was sacked by Brandon Garza to close out the game.

“I thought the boys came out good, they played well, the energy was there, we just have to clean up the little things and eliminate the silly mistakes we keep doing to ourselves to shoot ourselves in the foot,” Head Coach Matthew Hoover said. “We also have to get healthy; we have three or four kids nicked up and bruised and two of them are starters, so we are just trying to get healthy and get to district.”

The Bulldogs will be at Wellman-Union next week.

Kick-off is slated for 7:30 p.m.