The Tioga Bulldogs football team earned their way back into the winner’s circle with a dominant 73-6 win over the Whitewright Tigers on Oct. 10.
The Bulldogs relied on their passing attack, racking up 410 yards and 6 touchdowns through the air, and their defense to dismantle the Tigers for their second district win of the season.
“We wanted to come out and start fast, offensively, and we did,” said Zach Birdwell, Tioga athletic director and head football coach. “I think we scored four times in the first 10 plays, [and] we came out and held a team that runs a tough offensive style with their short, pistol triple option stuff that they use and gave up one touchdown the entire game, so it was a good showing from our kids getting this thing back on track.”
Tioga struck first when quarterback Greeley McAden connected with receiver Jaxson Hurst for a 39-yard touchdown pass on the Bulldogs’ opening drive, taking a 6-0 lead after a failed 2-point attempt.
Whitewright answered with a 51-yard touchdown run, but that would be their only points for the night, with the Bulldogs’ defense blocking the extra point attempt.
Tioga’s defense went on to smother the Tiger’s offense while the Bulldogs’ offense outscored their opponent 66-0 during the remainder of the game.
Two plays after Whitewright found the end zone, McAden found Hurst running free behind the Tigers’ secondary for a 53yard touchdown, putting the Bulldogs back in front 14-6 after running back Jonathan Hernandez scored on the ensuing 2-point attempt.
Tioga would continue to add to their first-half lead through the air and on the ground, with McAden throwing three more touchdowns to Hurst and one to receiver Justin Arrington.
The Bulldogs also collected two more rushing touchdowns with McAden calling his own number and rumbling through the Tigers’ defense for a 70-yard touchdown run and Hernandez scoring on a 27-yard scamper, putting Tioga up 46-6 at the half.
Tioga would score four more times in the second half—a 26-yard reception by Hurst, a 17-yard reception by Jaxton Dejernett and a 27-yard rushing touchdown by Jayson Stogner—capped by a punt returned for a 63-yard touchdown by Quesyn Arrington, sealing the 73-6 win.
McAden set the tone for the Bulldogs with 518 yards of total offense and 7 total touchdowns, with Hurst as his top target, finishing with 170 yards receiving and 4 touchdowns.
“Those two kids have really stepped up for us,” Birdwell said. “… Those guys are starting to develop a really good connection and some good chemistry together, and for us to be the best version of ourselves as an offense and as a team, we need those two being special for us on Friday nights, and they took a big step in that role this past week.”
He also highlighted the performance of the Bulldogs’ defense led by Dejernett, who finished with 12 tackles, and defensive lineman Caleb Moncrief, who had 7 tackles.
The Bulldogs have a week off before their matchup with Alvord on Oct. 24, and Birdwell said the team intends to use the break to their advantage.
“Elite teams win the bye week, and that’s our plan,” he said. “It’s a week off for a lot of people, but it’s not for us. We have a lot of things to clean up. ... We want to make sure we do everything we possibly can in these next two weeks to give ourselves the best chance possible to do what we need to do in that Alvord game to set [ourselves] up to defend our district championship.”
