Bulldogs Earn 40-8 Win over Green Cove Springs
By Helene Vickers
The Bolles Bulldogs middle school football team traveled to Green Cove Springs Junior High on October 9 and returned to Jacksonville with a record of 6-0 after whipping the Cougars 40-8.
Bolles captains Cam McCurry and Robbie Pye won the toss and elected to defer to the second half. After Tommy Kelley handled the kickoff, the starting defense including Pye (OLB), Matt Morris (DB), McCurry (DB), Matt Swartz (DL), Jay Bolt (DL), Luke Viering (DL), Bernard Hudgins (DL), and Willie MacDade (DB) came on the field and forced Green Cove to go 3 and out.
The Cougars punt took a favorable bounce placing the 'Dogs at their own 18-yard line. Excellent runs by Hayden Hurst (FB), Jeremy Wannamaker (RB), and McCurry (QB) as well as tremendous support by William Collier (C), Swartz (G), Sam Kelley (WB), Viering (TE), Kyle Lemire (G), Matt Myhand (TE/OT), and Jonathon Gregory (WR) set Bolles up for its first score of the game. Hurst ran in a touchdown with 5:17 remaining in the first quarter and lifted the score to 8-0 after running in the extra point.
After denying any significant yardage by Green Cove in its second series, the Bulldogs continued their scoring barrage with another touchdown, this one a 29-yard run by Hurst with 53.9 seconds left in the first quarter. McCurry ran in the point after to raise the score 16-0.
The Cougars were again forced to punt on their next series, but an interception gave Green Cove the ball back at its own 20-yard line. The 'Dogs didn't have long to worry as they continually threw the Cougars for losses on the ensuing plays, including a nice takedown by Connor Smith.
Bolles wasted no time finding the end zone on its next two possessions. First was a reverse to Sam Kelley who took it in from the 15-yard line. Wannamaker successfully completed the extra point improving the score to 24-0 with 3:43 to go in the second quarter. With 1:09 remaining in the half, Wannamaker ran 21 yards for the score and a successful extra point pass to Viering put the score at 32-0.
The Bulldog defense ended the first half with some stellar play from Rob Kelley, Tommy Kelley, Hudgins, and MacDade and sent the team to half time with a great deal of confidence and energy.
The final score for Bolles occurred on the first series of the second half. After Morris fielded the kickoff and returned the ball to the Bulldog 46-yard line, the 'Dogs needed just three more plays to give Sam Kelley a 39-yard touchdown run. Rob Kelley made good on the point after attempt to cap the score at 40-0 with 5:32 left to go in the third quarter.
The remainder of the third quarter was a defensive standoff with great plays from Tommy Kelley, Alex Ivanov and Will Robertson. Also logging time on the defensive line were Drew Steers , Charlie Burnett and Bogan Huntley . Offensively some of the players who added to the game were Austin Price, Steve Mencia, Chase Divertie, Colby Peters, Luke Del Rio, Tyler Gibson, Craig Walker, and David Wilf.
The lone score for Green Cove occurred with 3:39 remaining in the game. A five-play drive ended with a 30-yard Cougar pass and a successful extra point finalized the score at 40-8.