The Hooker Bulldogs used the first half of play to knock out the Sayre Eagles at Hooker 37 to 19 last Friday evening. The Bulldogs executed big plays in the first half to put daylight between the two teams by scoring rushing touchdowns of 24 and 58 yards, 2 passing TDs of 50 and 58 yards plus a pass interception for a 32-yard strike. Take these large plays away and the game could have been either team’s win, since the Eagles outscored the Bulldogs 8 to 6 in the entire second half. Sayre stayed close in the first half trailing only 14 to 11 with 7 minutes left before intermission. But Hooker found the end zone twice in the time left on the 58yard touchdown pass from Keilan Robinson to Gannon Hill and the 32-yard pass interception return by Gunnar Martens to give the Bulldogs a comfortable lead at the half 30 to 11.
Sayre began the game with the opening kickoff to Hooker. The Bulldogs began their first drive of the night from their own 29-yard line. After nine plays, Hooker crossed the Eagle goal line for the first of five touchdowns in the game on a 24-yard run by QB Keilan Robinson. The PAT was denied when Brock Helton, Aiden Ball and Zeke Curtis stacked the run attempt short of the goal line. The score read 6 to 0 with 7:50 left in the first quarter. Sayre began their first offensive possession following the ensuing kickoff and marched 59 yards to paydirt using eleven plays and 5 minutes of time off the clock. The TD was a one-yard plunge by Jaden Mosser behind the forward wedge made up of Alex Chavez, Tristan Easter, Stone Mackey, Braden Wood and Zeke Curtis. QB Jagger Wootton tossed a pass to Tate Bawden for the 2-point conversion to give the Eagles the lead in the game at 8 to 6 with 2:23 left in the first quarter. Sayre was assessed a 15-yard penalty on the ensuing kickoff that gave the Bulldogs good field position at the Hooker 49. After a one-yard gain on first down QB Robinson heaved a 50-yard touchdown pass to Justin Palacios. Robinson ran for the 2 PAT to give the Bulldogs the lead back at 14 to 8 with 1:17 left in the first quarter. Camden Plummer ran the following kickoff 27 yards out to the Hooker 47 where the Eagles began another scoring drive. The Eagles drove to the Hooker 12-yard line in nine plays. From the 12 Aiden Ball booted a 29-yard field goal that narrowed the score to 14 to 11 with 7:14 left in the first half. This was the first Eagle field goal since Kaden Merrell kicked a 26 yarder against Claude Texas in 2017. Following the ensuing kickoff disaster struck when Hooker connected on a 58-yard TD pass from Robinson to Gannon Hill. Robinson ran across the 2-point conversion to give the Bulldogs a 22 to 11 lead with 4 minutes left in the first half. D.J. Racadio returned the ensuing kickoff 13 yards out to the Eagle 20 where they began their next possession. Disaster continued to plague the Eagles when on third down a pass was intercepted by Gunnar Martens and returned 32 yards to the Sayre end zone. Robinson ran for the 2-point conversion and suddenly the score was up to 30 to 11 which took the teams into the halftime period.
Sayre received the second half kickoff but failed to generate a scoring drive. They took their offensive possession from their own 37 to the Bulldog 36 before giving up the ball on a 28-yard punt by Dustin Mc-Sorley. Hooker took possession at their own 8-yard line and punched out to their 42 in 4 plays before a 58-yard TD run by Justin Palacio put the game in jeopardy. Payne Huxman kicked for the PAT and Hooker’s lead was upped to 37 to 11 with 4:33 left in the third quarter. The highlight of the evening for Sayre was when Jaden Mosser received the ensuing kickoff and roared 90 yards for a stunning touchdown run. Wootton ran for the PAT and the score read 37 to 19 with 4:17 left in the third quarter. Neither team could generate a scoring drive in the fourth quarter, and the score ended 37 19. Sayre has played Hooker 8 times in the last 60 years and yielded to the Bulldogs in all 8 games. This game was the first district game for each team. Sayre has 2 wins 2 losses on the season and will entertain Crescent at home on Eagle field this Friday evening in a 7 PM start. Sayre defeated Crescent in a barn burner last year 38 to 30 at Crescent. Aiden Ball led the team in tackles with 13 while Curtis garnered 9 and Helton 8. Dustin McSorley led the offense with 44 yards on 12 carries. Aiden Ball and Jaden Mosser were named players of the game.
EAGLES STATS HOOKER 13 First Downs 11 43/116 Rushing Yards 26/165 3/6/42 Passing Yards 6/8/173 158 Total Yards 338 1 Turnovers 0 5/40 Penalties 15/140 2/71/35.5 Punts 2/71/35.5 RUSHING D. McSorley 12/44 J. Mosser 8/35 J. Wootton 17/26 C. Plummer 4/8 Z. Curtis 1/4 T. Bawden 1 /2 RECEIVING B. Mosburg 2/35 D. McSorley 1/17 TACKLES A. Ball 13 Z. Curtis 9 B. Helton 8 S. Mackey 7 B. Mosburg 4 C. Brewer 4 T. Easter 3 Others 8
