Marlin ISD

#4 Danerio Alexander catches a pass from Jeremy Sanders. Alexander finished the night with eight catches for 135 yards as the Dogs win 32-9

Dogs Take District Lead
As They "Nest" The Eagles

It was homecoming at Legion Field this [past Friday night and the Bulldogs did not disappoint the crowd as they grounded the Eagles from Fairfield by a score of 32-9.
Both teams entered this match up at 1-0 in district as Fairfield handed Groesbeck their first loss last week by a score of 17-7 and Marlin also came in at 1-0 in district by way of a 54-19 whipping of the cats from Mexia.
Fairfield won the toss and elected to receive to start the game but they went quickly with a three and out possession. The dogs did about the same on their first possession. After moving the ball through the air with Sanders hitting Kenny Evans for 22 yards and then Benny Jones for another 14 yards the drive stalled. And the Dogs punted. Back came the Eagles and another three and out for them and it began to look like a defensive struggle with little scoring. This would play right into the type of game Fairfield wanted.
But on the Dogs second possession they would score. Again Sanders went to the air. A pass to Danario Alexander covers 13 yards. Another pass to Alexander this one for 28 yards. Two back to back running plays moved the ball to the Eagle three yard line where with 3:19 left in the first quarter, Sanders scored on a run to the right. The try for two failed but the Dogs were on top 6-0 as we headed for the second quarter.
In the second quarter it was the defense of both teams playing well. The Eagles had moved into Dog territory when Evans stopped their drive with a beautiful interception of a McMillan pass. But the Dogs couldn't take advantage of the turnover.
Finally with just over two minutes before the half, the Dogs would again find the end zone. Once more it was Sanders. This time from six yards out to make it 12-0. Sanders then hit Jonathan Thomas for a two point conversion to make it 14-0.
This time the Eagles would answer back. Beginning at their own twenty they began to drive behind the hard running of Malcolm Woodruff and ended up at the Dog twenty before the drive stalled. In came Ian Burns who connects on a 37-yard field goal as the half ends. Dogs 14 and Eagles 3.

At halftime four beautiful young ladies took center stage and waited and hoped that their name would be called as the 2005 Marlin High School Homecoming Queen. Amber, Brittany, Robyn and Brittaney were escorted to midfield and waited anxiously for the announcer. "Your 2005 Marlin ISD Homecoming Queen is……..AMBER MULSOW! Amber is the daughter of David Mulsow of Marlin.
Then it was "MO" time for football. Mo as in JMO Sanders. Sanders had been near perfect in the first half finishing with 13 of 19 passing for 181 yards. He also had scored the Dogs lone two touchdowns of the first half. And you just knew he wasn't through yet.
With 4:52 remaining in the third quarter JMO had the crowd standing and hollering. First he hit Alexander again for an 11 yard pass that put the ball at midfield. Then on the next play Sanders runs right, looks for a receiver, can't find one, comes back right, finds a little crease in the Eagle defense, scoots through and shows his speed down the near sideline 50 yards for a touchdown! Touchdown number three for Sanders. The point after was no good but the Dogs had a little breathing room at 20-3 as we headed to the final quarter.
The Eagles once more behind the power running of Woodruff began to pound the ball on the ground. Chewing up nearly eight minutes they took 15 plays before Woodruff rumbles into the end zone from three yards out. (A key play that kept the drive alive was a fake punt on fourth down) The two point conversion failed and that would be the last time the Eagles would score in this one. Woodruff finished the night with 82 yards rushing on 18 carries.
The Eagles then tried an onside kick but #65 for the Dogs, Julio Griffin fell on the ball at the 49. The Dogs drove down to the Eagle four-yard line but the Eagles held on a fourth and one.
Now it was time for the Dog defense to rise again. Pinned at their own four-yard line, Eagle quarterback Billy McMillian let a pass go that Dog defender Kevin Diles picked off at the Eagle 38 yard line. Then on offense its Diles who take a pitch from Sanders and throws a 29-yard touchdown pass to Evans to make it 26-9.
The Dogs added one more score when Jonathan Thomas scored from a yard out with 41 seconds remaining to make the final score Dogs 32 and Fairfield 9.

On the night Sanders was 17/29 passing for 268 yards. He also led the Dogs in rushing with 102 yards, and 3 touchdowns on 15 carries. AND he also threw a two-point conversion pass to Thomas. All in a nights work for the "Dog" they call JMO.
The Dog defense played an awesome game as well as they held the Eagle passing game to only 23 yards and another 145 yards on the ground. Demetrius Freeman put constant pressure on McMillian all night; Jonathan Thomas, Ryan Merryman, Jazz Thomas, Matthew Bailey, Ezequiel Elisade, Matthew Phillips to name a few of the defensive starters all had good nights. And then there are the two way players - Evans, Diles and oh yeah #7 JMO Sanders.

Senior linebacker Keith Williams sustained a knee injury in the first half and was seen on crutches in the second half. He was to have x-rays on Monday to determine the extent of the injury.

This Friday night they dogs will take their game on the road to Madisonville who lost to Groesbeck this past Friday night by a score of 35-17. Then the Dogs will return home for "Parent Night" on October 28 and face the Goats of Groesbeck.

Marlin ISD
Created August 26, 1997 -- last revision Dec 2005
Please mail comments or suggestions to: tsimpson@marlinisd.org

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