Marlin ISD

#7 Jeremy Sanders did it all for the Dogs this night as he rushed for 140 yards and scored four touchdowns while throwing for 227 yards and one touchdown as the Dogs took care of business by whipping the Mustangs 34-14.

Dogs Lasso the Mustangs

In the early going of this 18-AAA tilt it looked as though the Mustangs of Madisonville had the key to the game in hand – keep the dogs on the porch, ground it out and we just might pull the upset! They did take an early 7-0 lead and were within 6 at 14-20 late in the third quarter but the Dog defense rose up on a 4th and 2 play and held the Stangs and went on to win 34-14.
The Mustangs won the toss, elected to receive and began their opening drive from their 26-yard line. Showing power runs to the left they moved with ease down the field. Thirteen plays and five first downs put the Mustangs at the Bulldog 21-yard line where quarterback Brad Taylor went to the air and hit his running back Chuck Kelly for a 21-yard touchdown. The extra point by Elias Reyes was good and the Mustangs had that early 7-0 lead.
The Dogs quickly answered back taking only six plays before quarterback Jeremy Sanders scored his first of four rushing touchdowns from four 15 yards out. The extra point try failed and with just two minutes left in the opening quarter the score was 6-7 Madisonville.
Moving to the second quarter the Dogs got a spark with a 47-yard punt return by Kenny Evans to the Mustang 37. But a 4th and six pass play fill incomplete and the Mustangs took over on downs.
The Mustangs again began to move the ball on the ground and reached the Dog 32 yard line where they tried a 49 yard field goal! The kick went straight for the uprights and fell just short hitting the pad on the goal post.
Back came the Dogs. Sanders runs for five. Jazz Thomas runs for four more. Sanders runs for six or a third and one. Sanders then takes to the air and finds Kevin Diles for a 14 yard gain. Then another pass, this time to Benny Jones for 26 yards brings the Dogs to the Mustang 14. On a third and 15, Sanders looks left, runs left, comes back to the middle, cuts in and out, heads to the right sidelines, turns up field, jumps over defenders (see picture) and races all the way to the end zone. A two-point conversion pass from Sanders to Jones is good and the Dogs take a 14-7 lead to the lockers.
On the Dogs first possession of the second half they stretch that lead to 20-7 as Sanders throws a perfect pass to his talk lanky receiver Jones that covers 46 yards.
But the Mustangs won’t go away as they answer back on their first possession of the second half. Starting at their own 30-yard line they take only seven plays to go the distance. The final 31 yards comes on a run by Taylor. The point after is good and the Mustangs are right back in this one down only six at 14-20 with 5:45 left in the third quarter.
The Dogs next possession goes three and out and new punter, Ryan Merryman gets off a good punt of 40 yards setting the Mustangs up deep in their own territory. But on their first play they quickly erase that punt with a run by Chris Whaley of 38 yards. Then the Dog defense steps up. On a third and five at the Dog 27-yard line, Jazz trips up Whaley just as he is about to break free setting up a fourth a three. This is when the turning point of the game came. The Mustangs are in easy range for a field goal try by Reyes but they decide to test the Bulldog defense one more time. Taylor runs the ball and is held short of the first down by one yard. The ball goes over on downs and the momentum that the Stangs had just shifted to the Dogs.
Four plays later Sanders finds Evans over the middle for a 47 yard gain down to the Mustang three as the quarter ended.
Sanders would score his third rushing touchdown of the night on a second and goal to give the Dogs a 26-14 lead with 11:17 remaining in the game.
The Mustangs went three and out on their next possession and you could tell that 4th down play took the air out of the Mustangs.
With 9:40 to play the Dogs began their last scoring drive of the game. Travis Miller runs for 11 yards. Jazz picks up six more, Sanders to the air hits Diles for 11 yards. Another pass to Jones for 24 yards to the Mustang 29-yard line. The on a second and seven from the 26 Sanders gets his fourth TD of the night running right up the gut 26 yards. The two-point conversion pass to Diles is good to make the final score 34-14 Bulldogs.
On the night, Sanders was 10 of 17 passing for 227 yards and one touchdown while adding another 140 yards rushing on 13 carries and four touchdowns. The “Three Amigos” all had good nights catching the ball as Benny Jones caught three passes for 96 yards and one touchdown, Kenny Evans had three catches for 69 yards and Danerio Alexander added two catches for 37 yards.
The win moves the Dogs to 7-1 on the year and 3-0 in district. Only Groesbeck stands in the way of yet another undefeated district title. Groesbeck comes into town this Friday night with a 6-1 overall record and 1-1 in district. It will be Parent Night. See you at the game!

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

©1997 Marlin ISD
All Rights Reserved