Midget Bulldawgs win fourth consecutive Pop Warner game
Pop Warner Midget Bulldawgs made it four in a row by beating the Vista Wranglers 26-6 under the lights of Vista Magnet School Field on Saturday, Nov. 7.
The Wranglers opened up the scoring on a 60-yard opening drive. However, the Bulldawg’s special teams provided the spark with a 45-yard punt from punter Daniel Torres. Racing down the field, Tanner Williams kept the ball from going into the end zone and Nathan Cherek alertly scooped up after the ball hit a Wrangler on the 1-yard line.
Quarterback Ryan Lopez behind center Trae Rodriguez and guards Taylor Dorman and Will Rieve scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak. Kicker Torres added the extra point. The first half ended with the Bulldawgs up 8-6.
In the second half, the Bulldawgs focused on pounding the ball with running backs Brendan Tustison and Cherek and fullback Daniel Van Tol.
“It was really scary watching No. 34 (Tustison) and No. 36 (Cherek) hit the edge and turn upfield,” said Wranglers Head Coach Darryl Conney.
Running behind the offensive line, which included guards Andrew Duey and Chance Miller, and tackles Dallas Domnitz and Jacob Grybow, the Bulldawgs averaged 5 yards a carry as they methodically moved the ball down the field.
“We won because offensive line just took control of the game,” stated Offensive Line Coach Andrew Lisowski.
The Bulldawgs scored three times in the second half with Cherek running the ball in twice and Lopez throwing to tight end Tanner “T-Bone” Williams for the final score. The Bulldawgs dominated the clock, holding the ball for 14 of the last 20 minutes of play.
After the first score, the Bulldawg defense shutdown the Wrangler offense.
“From the second quarter on, we played Ramona defensive football tonight,” said Defensive Coordinator John Rodriguez.
Led by defensive end Van Tol, the Bullawg defensive line of Andrew Houry, Joseph Martins, JT Smith and Torres bottled up all Wrangler running backs.
Defensive backs Alejandro Gomez, Noah Cappadocia, Nathan Feghali and Christian Drews provided shutdown coverage as the Wranglers moved to the pass to catch up.
“It would be tough to do this without our RHS football volunteers,” Head Coach Matt Lisowski said. “Andrew Lisowski, Marshal Thrasher, James Hackett and Colin Houlihan have volunteered all season and have done an outstanding job. The offensive and defensive lineman would not be as good as they are without the coaching of Andrew and Marshal. This game really highlighted their invaluable contribution to the team.”
The next game is against the Alpine Mountaineers at the annual Jack Packwood Bowl on Saturday, Nov. 14, at Bulldawg Stadium.