Tarpons crush Bulldogs 41-14
Just when it seemed the tide was turning in Ida Baker’s favor Friday night, it all went wrong.
The Charlotte Tarpons erupted in the third quarter breaking open a tight game to roll over the Bulldogs 41-14.
Baker (1-3, 0-1 District 6A-10) closed out the first half with an 18-play, 81-yard drive – converting on three fourth-down plays – to close within 14-7 at halftime. The Bulldogs got the ball first to start the second half, right after the pomp and circumstance of homecoming festivities.
The third quarter was a disaster for Baker.
The Tarpons (3-0, 1-0 District 6A-10) scored 21 points in the third period to put the game out of reach.
Baker got the ball first in the third quarter, but went nowhere on three plays. Maleek Williams blocked Baker’s punt, and the Tarpons were in business on the Bulldogs’ 20. D’Vonte Price caught a 14-yard TD pass from Brennan Simms, who then connected with Stantley Thomas on a 91-yard touchdown pass, and Elijah Mack ran it in from 54 yards out to give Charlotte a 35-7 lead.
“We felt like we had some momentum, we were getting the ball to start the third,” Bulldogs coach Brian Conn said. “We had missed blocking assignments on two of the three plays. We go three-and-out, we get the punt blocked. It was just downhill from there.”
Simms threw three touchdowns on the night, and Elijah Mack ran for 132 yards and two scores.
The Tarpons got off to a quick start on both sides of the ball. Simms hit Jacob White for a 64-yard touchdown on the game’s first possession. Then D’andre Hicks intercepted a Jordan Diggs pass and returned it to Baker’s 20. That set up Mack’s 1-yard run for a 14-0 Charlotte lead.
Baker dodged a bullet in the second quarter after another interception put the Tarpons in business on the Bulldogs’ 41. Baker’s defense rose up to stop Mack on a fourth-and-two at the 19.
That got the Bulldogs going. Diggs led his team down the field before Brennan Williams scored from a yard out with only 28 seconds before halftime.
Jeremy Seadorf scored on a 15-yard run for Charlotte in the fourth quarter.
Baker’s Williams ran for his second TD, from two yards out, to close out the scoring.
“We got beat in all three phases tonight by a good team,” Conn said. “(The Bulldogs) did play hard in the first half. I didn’t feel like the effort was there the whole night, which is disappointing. You’re talking about attitude and effort all the time. They seemed flat tonight, the first district game of the year. Playing a good team, you can’t do that.”