Warriors claim victory over Bulldogs
Staff writer
A road trip to Bennington Friday gave the PBHS Warriors their second win of the season. They defeated the Bulldogs, 42-12. Now 2-0, the squad will face a league homecoming match-up with Canton-Galva.
The Warriors opened the game with the Bulldogs on defense. Todd Woodruff and Nathan Bishop made the first PBHS tackles. A third down Bulldog fumble was recovered by Woodruff and Warrior offense started on the Bennington 29. Bishop earned nine through the middle. Hamm carried twice, moving the marker to the 16. After a dead ball penalty, Woodruff took a Derrick Simmonds hand-off and ran 23 yards for the first Warrior score. Will Pratt added the extra point and the Warriors were on the board, 7-0, with 8:29 on the clock.
Kick-off coverage by Cole Welsh and Adam Benson stopped the Bulldogs at their own 29. Defensive plays by Bishop and Pratt forced a Bennington punt. On the next play, a Warrior fumble gave the Bulldogs back the ball on the Warrior 46. Warrior defense stopped the drive and forced a punt. A PBHS push blocked the punt and Welsh fell on the ball to set up play at the Warrior 41. Woodruff, Bishop, and Hamm all ran for PBHS in the series. On first and 10 at the 18, Woodruff found the end zone through the middle of the Bulldog defense. Pratt added one and the Warriors went up, 14-0, at the end of the first quarter.
A PBHS scoring spree came with five minutes left in the first half. The first scoring drive began at the Bulldog 41 with ground gains made by Bishop, Woodruff, and Hamm. Woodruff took off from the Bennington 37 and cleared the Bulldog defense to the right side for the touchdown. Pratt again added one and the Warriors opened up a 21-0 lead.
The next scoring opportunity came when swarming Warrior defensive plays by Elliott Spechtenhauser, Pratt, Brandon Pickens, Bishop, Woodruff, and Eric Dutton backed the Bulldogs up to their own 11. A bad snap landed in the end zone. Nick Abramowich fell on the ball and the Warrior defense tacked on a touchdown. Pratt added the extra point and the Warriors led 28-0 with 4:11 left in the half.
Six more points were added on the PBHS kick-off when Welsh picked up the live ball from a Bulldog fumble and carried it into the end zone. Pratt added one. The scoreboard read 35-0 with 4:01 left in the half.
Warrior defense held the Bulldogs for the remainder of the half. Tackles were credited to Spechtenhauser, Abramowich, Simmonds, Pickens, Eldridge, Pratt, Bishop, and Woodruff.
The first Warrior series of the second half started with a Simmonds catch at the Warrior 25. Hamm, Woodruff, and Bishop again moved the ball for the offense, earning four first downs. On first and 15 from the Bulldog 18, Woodruff bounced through the middle for the score. Pratt added the final PBHS score and the Warriors led 42-0.
The Bulldogs added two scores in the second half. With 1:28 remaining in the third, a seven-yard Bulldog pass put the team on the board. The PAT failed. On a first-and-10 at the 12, the Bulldogs put up their final score with just seconds left in the contest. Spechtenhauser blocked the extra point and the final for the contest was 42-12.
Second-half tackles were credited to Simmonds, Benson, Pratt, Sean Corona, Woodruff, Bishop, Eldridge, Abramowich, Jason Unruh, Jacob Simmonds, Chris Brooks, Jordon Foth, and Justin Bryan.
Benson and D. Simmonds also intercepted passes in the half.
Woodruff rushed 14 times for 185 yards and four touchdowns. Trevor Hamm ran 12 times for 39 yards and caught two passes for 23 yards. Nathan Bishop ran eight times for 35 yards. J. Simmonds had one run for 10 yards. Henry Hammann was one-for-three.
Nathan Bishop led the team with 10 tackles. Other tackles: D. Simmonds, five. Woodruff, four. Corona, three. Eldridge, three. Spechtenhauser, three. Pratt, two. Abramowich, two. Benson, two. Unruh, one. J. Simmonds, one. Brooks, one. Hamm, one. Welsh, one. Dutton, one. Pickens, one. Loucks, one.
