Bulldogs Take it to Overtime in 27-30 Loss to Canyons

            The crowd was on their feet cheering on the Bulldogs as quarterback Seth Tripod (Paragould) threw a touchdown pass to Jovan Davis (Orcutt) with one minute on the clock to make the score 22-24. The Bulldogs went for the two-point conversion and Carl Littleberry (Santa Maria, CA) came through with a great catch for a tied game and a trip to overtime.

                Hancock receiver Scott Cathcart (Santa Maria) had the first touchdown of the game, scored on a 17-yard pass from quarterback Seth Tripod (Paragould) in the second quarter. The Cougars answered with a touchdown pass of their own to receiver Rickeem Jackson, making it a tied game going into the half.

                The Cougars opened up an exciting third quarter with a long drive and ended up with a field goal for the effort, taking the score to 10-7. Shortly after the Cougars picked up a fumble on a punt and ran with the ball towards the end zone. It would have been a touchdown for the Cougars but the referees blew the whistle. Canyons got payback for that call just a few plays later when receiver Cameron Bailey scored a touchdown and brought the score to 7-17.

                With five minutes left in the third quarter Gavin Kelly (Santa Maria) replaced Tripod at quarterback. He led a drive ending in a fake punt, and a first down for the Bulldogs when punter and linebacker Jamen Kealoha-Albarado (Lihue) ran the ball 15-yards.

                At the 32-yard line, Kelly attempted a long pass to Cathcart, but Spencer Dudley (St. Charles), but unfortunately Dudley just missed the ball. Kelly y was injured on the next play and a spearing penalty was called on the Cougars. Kelly was replaced by Tripod. At the 15-yard line, Tripod was stopped in the backfield for a loss of four yards. He then threw two very close incomplete passes to Scott Cathcart. The Bulldogs ended the drive with a 33-yard field goal by kicker Jared Miller.

                The score was 10-17 going into the fourth. The Cougars scored again with 11 minutes left in the game for a 24-10, Canyons lead. The Bulldogs didn’t give up and they drove the ball down the field and ended with a touchdown pass to Cathcart. After the kick was not good, the score was 16-24.

                The Cougars took the ball but ended up having to punt. With two minutes left in the game, the Bulldogs took the ball on their own 23-yard line. A complete pass to Cathcart, another long pass to Dudley for a first down and two more long passes to  Cathcart brought the Bulldogs to the four-yard line with one minute left in the game. It took nine plays and 77-yuards to bring the Bulldogs into overtime.

                A drive, ending in a 36-yard field goal by Jared Miller (Santa Maria) brought the Bulldogs a 27-24 lead. The Cougars came through with a touchdown though and the final score was 27-30.

                The Bulldogs are on the road Saturday, Oct. 30 against Ventura College.