Perfect 10

DOGS SCORE A

First Undefeated Season Since 2004 In The Books; Now The Second Season Begins

A rush-heavy Mannford team was unable to crack the Bulldog code last Friday and went down like nine other opponents have done this season.

In a feat only two other Bulldog teams have accomplished in the modern era, Sulphur scored a perfect 10 and will now set their sights on the Class 3A playoffs beginning this Friday, hosting Anadarko.

The Bulldogs used a smothering defense and explosive offense to sweep past the Mannford Pirates, 48-0, completing an undefeated, 10-0 season. Only the 2002 and 2004 teams in the modern era accomplished that feat, and in both cases went on to win state titles.

Head Sulphur coach, Corey Cole, said, he was extremely pleased with the overall performance of the team.

“Senior night is always a big night for our kids and to see them take care of business the way they did and complete an undefeated regular season was a special night for this whole program,” said Cole. “These guys continue to buy in to what we are asking them to do, accepting every challenge head-on and always doing it the right way. This senior class will go down as one of the best and we are extremely proud of the way they play but, more importantly, we are proud of the young men they are becoming everyday.”

Cole said Mannford was a quality competitor, but the Dogs played really well to pitch their third consecutive shutout.

The Dogs allowed the Pirates just over 100 total net yards in an outstanding defensive effort against their wing-T offense, while generating 461 yards of total offense and seven touchdowns offensively.

Cole said his defense played superb all night.

“Defensively, we played outstanding, posting another shut out, our 3rd in a row, including a goal-line stand to start the second quarter that completely changed the game in favor of the Bulldogs,” said Cole.

Defensively, the Dogs limited Mannford’s ball control offense to only 107 total yards in 58 plays.

“Jayden McClure and Madden Duck led the way with 11 and 10 tackles respectively, Duck also had a big sack on the goal-line stand, and Maddax Mobly and Kash Pickett were right behind them with 9 and 8 tackles,” said Cole.

“Our defensive line played great all night. Mannford pulls guards and traps all the time and if the defensive line isn’t disciplined you can be in big trouble but our kids played great technique and bottled up the Mannford ground attack.”

Leading the Dog’s defensive line were George Martinez and Cooper Cole, with 8 tackles with Cole adding a sack. Other solid performances, according to Cole, came from Connor Sullivan with 4 tackles, and Drake Wood, who had a great night from the secondary with 7 tackles and 2 tackles for loss.

“Defensively we keep getting better every week, we are playing very physical and doing a tremendous job of chasing the ball and playing fast,” said Cole.

The Dog’s offense continues in the fast lane with explosive plays and great tempo, according to Cole.

“Our offensive line played really well again as they have been playing really well here of late,” said Cole.

He praised quarterback, Kale Brakefield, who threw for 236 yards and 3 TDs, saying “he continues to keep our offense rolling.”

Others with impressive stats last Friday included Maddax Mobly, who had 134 total yards and a TD; and Bridge Barrett, who Cole said continues his big play at wide receiver. Barrett caught 4 passes for 88 yards and 2 TD’s. Others drawing praise were Drake Wood, who added a 30-yard reception for a TD, and Carter Cole, who had 4 receptions for 73 yards. Carter Cole also and threw a 38-yard TD pass to Mobly in another big play in the game.

Jojo Gray once again led the ground game for the Bulldogs, rushing for 64 yards on only 8 carries, and scoring two times for the Dogs.

Game Recap

The Bulldogs wasted little time in scoring their first TD as Brakefield hit Drake Wood on a 30-yard strike, completing a 70-yard drive on their opening offensive possession.

Mobly started off the drive on a 10-yard scamper, then two plays later, Carter Cole put the Dogs in great field position on a 25-yard pass from Brakefield.

Wood’s TD came at the 8:08 mark in the first period. Colten Cole provided the PAT kick giving the Dogs an early, 7-0 lead.

Cole booted the kickoff to the end-zone where the Pirates set up at the 20.

The Dog’s Jayden McClure and Cooper Cole combined to stop the Pirates for no gain on their first play, but Mannford completed a 7-yard pass the next play and picked up a first down.

Getting two and three yards on their next two plays, the Pirates were stopped cold as Wood blew in from the secondary to stop the foes on a 5-yard loss to force a punt.

Sulphur took over at their own 38, but a Pirate linebacker stepped in front of a Brakefield pass and was finally stopped at the Dog’s 18.

Withe the aid of a face-mask penalty, Mannford moved down to Sulphur’s 4-yard-line, but several Dogs zeroed in on a quarterback roll-out on the next play and smothered him for a 20-yard loss.

The goal-line stand changed the complexion of the game as the Dogs took over at their own 24 and marched the length of the field in only nine plays as Gray broke through a hole on a 21-yard scoring run up the middle.

A key play in the drive was Brakefield’s 13-yard run on a 3rd and five and runs of 21 and nine yards by Mobly.

Gray’s TD run came at the 8:15 mark in the second period. The PAT kick failed, but Sulphur had some breathing room with a 13-0 lead.

Mannford took over at their own 28 after the kickoff, and were in a position to get a first down on a third and two, but two solid plays by a host of Sulphur linemen stopped the Pirates for no gain, including a stop on a fourth and two quarterback sneak.

With momentum now fully in Sulphur’s favor, the Dogs used a little trickery on their opening play of the series as receiver Carter Cole tossed a short screen pass to Mobly, who turned upfield and ran 39 yards into the end-zone for the Dog’s third TD of the night.

Dogs

The score came at the 6:07 mark in the second period and Cole’s PAT kick was good, giving Sulphur a comfortable 20-0 lead.

The Pirates took over at their own 25 after the kickoff, and on a third and six, used a little trickery of their own, a double reverse inside hand-off that netted the team a 41-yard run. The Dog’s Mobly saved the TD after running down the Pirate runner from behind at the 29.

The Dogs then ran out the halftime clock and went into the dressing room with a 20-0 lead.

To open the second half, the Pirates were successful on an onside kick, as one of their players caught the ball in midair and they took over at the Sulphur 47.

But, the Dogs were not budging much, their defense stopping the Pirates for negative yardage on three plays, the final two-yard loss coming from McClure on a solo tackle on the edge. Defensive tackle Dylan Gleason also got in on the action with a stop on a second and three in a play just prior to McClure’s drive-ending tackle.

From that point on, it was petal-to-the-medal for the Dogs.

Taking over at their own 33, the Dogs took only six plays to score, as Barrett reeled in a 21yard strike from Brakefield at the 5:59 mark in the third period. Cole’s PAT kick was good as the Dogs now led 27-0. Other big plays in the drive were a pair of Carter Cole catches of 25 and 12 yards.

The wheels then began to come off for Mannford as Sulphur recovered a fumble on the Pirates’ second play of the ensuing series.

Going for knock-out blow, Brakefield fired off a 41-yard scoring strike to Barrett to give Sulphur a 34-0 lead at the 5:04 mark in the third period. Cole’s PAT kick was good.

Neither team could move on the next two series and the Pirates eventually took over at their own 16-yard-line after a Sulphur punt.

Mannford got a couple of first downs and took advantage of a 15-yard Sulphur penalty to move out to their own 42, but McClure made another key stop on the edge for a four-yard loss, and the Pirates were now facing a fourth and 13 situation.

A fake punt didn’t fool the Dogs, and they took over at the Mannford 45.

Four plays later, the Dog’s Gray bolted through the middle on a 21-yard scoring run to end any hope of a comeback for the Pirates. The score came at the 7:09 mark in the fourth quarter and Cole’s PAT kick was good, giving Sulphur a 41-0 lead.

After forcing the Pirates to punt on their next series, the Dogs closed out the game on a five-play, 48-yard drive with Grady Hardoin plunging in from the two for the score. Angel Rios then booted the PAT to give the Dogs a 48-0 lead with 3:11 left in the final period.