Bulldogs open 3A-3 play with homecoming win over ‘Cats

M U L D R O W – M u l d r o w defensive back Camden Matthews returned an interception for a touchdown and Trenden Collins and Eli Crumrine sparked the offense Friday night as the unbeaten Bulldogs improved to 5-0 overall with a 28-13 homecoming win over Checotah in their District 3A-3 opener.

The Bulldogs host Berryhill this week and Checotah (2-3) takes on Seminole at home.

With under a minute remaining in the first quarter of Friday‚s game Checotah running back Kreed Hall ran 12 yards on a first-down carry before fumbling into the end zone. Teammate Nolan Barnett‚s recovery gave the Wildcats a 6-0 lead but Muldrow‚s Bryson Limore blocked the PAT attempt.

On the Bulldogs‚ next offensive possession Collins leaping catch of a 29-yard pass from Matthews, Muldrow‚s quarterback, gave the Bulldogs a first down at their 44 but the drive eventually stalled and Matthews punted 33 yards to the Checotah 11 with 10:16 left in the second stanza. After Muldrow‚s defense tackled Hall for a 3-yard loss and Collins almost picked off a pass Matthews returned an interception 30 yards for a touchdown to tie the score before David Frias‚ extra-point kick gave the Bulldogs a 7-6 lead with 9:25 remaining.

The Wildcats threatened to retake the lead on their next possession. A 27-yard pass from quarterback Bronson Bouher to Jaydin Bray, three Hall runs totaling 30 yards and a 10-yard reception by Elijah Thomas gave Checotah a first down at the Muldrow 4 but on the next snap Frias recovered a fumble caused by Denver Click at the 9.

A 75-yard touchdown run by Collins was nullified by a holding penalty on the Bulldogs‚ next offensive series. Consecutive runs of 21 and 20 yards by Collins moved Muldrow to the Checotah 45 but Hunter Ellis recovered a Bulldog fumble with 50.1 seconds to go before the intermission.

Bray‚s 38-yard reception and Bouher‚s 12-yard scramble allowed Checotah to attempt a 32-yard field goal before the half ended but the kick was wide right.

Muldrow led 7-6 at the half. The Bulldogs received the secondhalf kickoff and drove 71 yards in 10 plays before Collins ran for a 9-yard touchdown, and Frias‚ PAT gave Muldrow a 14-6 advantage with 6:02 left. Keys plays in the time-consuming drive were Collins‚ four runs totaling 29 yards and Crumrine‚s 26-yard reception and four rushes for 21 yards.

Early in the final period Collins‚ 26-yard run took the Bulldogs to the Checotah 18 and on the next play Crumrine crossed the goal line in the north end zone with 11:35 remaining. Muldrow led 21-6 following Frias‚ point-after kick.

Collins caused and recovered a Checotah fumble moments later but Muldrow‚s offensive possession ended at the Wildcats‚ 20 with 5:07 to go.

With 2:01 to go in the contest Crumrine ran for a 9-yard touchdown after Checotah turned the ball over on downs at its 19.

Thirty-five seconds later Hall rushed for an 81-yard touchdown and Carter Stewart‚s PAT ended the scoring.

“It was a very, very good win,” Muldrow head coach Brandon Ellis said. “It allows us to go 1-0 in district. They were a scary bunch. Our defense is what won that game. The defense played four quarters. We were a little slow getting out on offense. The defense made some huge stops and the defense got the first score on the board. Offensively we had two turnovers there in the first half and a big touchdown run called back. We were moving the ball but we just couldn‚t finish. We‚d have hiccups like a penalty or a fumble. We came in (at halftime) and made adjustments and challenged the team and we came out and took the first opening drive 80 yards and we settled down and started playing our football.

Muldrow‚s leading tacklers in the game were Jerrard Palmer (13 total tackles), Crumrine (8), Jacob Gregory and Click (6 each) and Limore (4).

Crumrine and Gregory registered two tackles for loss apiece, Click and Collins each caused a fumble, Frias and Collins recovered a fumble apiece, Limore blocked a point-after kick attempt and Matthews returned an interception for a touchdown.

Collins led all rushers with 249 yards and a touchdown on 31 carries, Crumrine totaled 58 yards and two TDs on 10 attempts and Matthews ran for 35 yards on 14 runs.

Matthews completed 3-of-8 passes for 59 yards to Crumrine (2 catches for 30 yards) and Collins (1 for 29).

For the Wildcats Hall netted 144 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, Thomas had 24 yards on three runs and Bouher added 16 yard on six attempts.

Bouher completed 10-of-20 throws for 116 yards with one interception and Checotah‚s leading receivers were Bray (3 receptions for 81 yards) and Thomas (4 for 29).

Bray and Ellis recovered a fumble apiece for the Wildcats.