Dragons scorched earth ends Bulldogs season
Published 11:02 pm Tuesday, November 21, 2023
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders The Hampton Bulldogs, with the returning Chance Point (11), take the field of JC Campbell Stadium for what would prove to be the final time in the 2023 season.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Bulldog Captains (from left) Shayden Oliver (64), Elijah McKinney (16), JJ McElyea (3) and Geno Carrico (5) head to mid-field for the coin toss just prior to the start of their Regional 1 2A meeting with the Dragons of York Institute.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Hampton’s Chance Point (11), who had missed almost the entire season due to injury, hauls in a 41-yard pass to set up the Bulldogs with first and goal midway through the first quarter.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders The Bulldogs Geno Carrico (5) drags several Dragon defenders into the end zone from five yards out to even the score 6-6 late in the first quarter.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders The Dragons Myles Leffew (5) and Landon Sells (68) drag Hampton’s Geno Carrico (5) down from behind after a short gain early in the first quarter.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders The Bulldogs JJ McElyea (3) and Maddux Wilson (1) track down York’s Riylin Miller (7) and make a touchdown saving tackle after a long gain early in the first quarter.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders The Bulldogs Dominique Burleson (12) slips out of the grip of York’s Landon Robbins (34) on a kick-off return for 25 yards mid-way through the first quarter.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders A pack of Bulldog defenders swarm York running back Logan Pannell (3) in the backfield for a loss early in the first quarter.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Hampton’s sideline signals touchdown after Dominique Burleson scores with 4:49 left in the first quarter.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Hampton’s Dominique Burleson (12) falls over backward for a couple of extra yards, and a first down, after being tripped up by a pair of York defenders.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders The Bulldogs JJ McElyea (3), Jayden Kuhn (55) and Elijah McKinney (16) smother York’s Logan Pannell (3) for a loss early in the second quarter.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Hampton’s Geno Carrico (5) brings down the Dragons Riylin Miller (7) just shy of the first down marker in the second quarter.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders The Bulldogs JJ McElyea (3) bats away a pass intended for York’s Logan Pannell (3) late in the second quarter.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Hampton Bulldog Head Coach Michael Lunsford (center right) encourages his team not to lose hope and stay fired up during a timeout late in the first half.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders The Bulldogs Dominique Burleson (12) drags York’s Michael Wall (70) and another defender for a couple of extra yards late first half.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders The Bulldogs leave the field at the half, trailing the Dragons of York, for what proved to be the final time of the 2023 season.
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STAR CORRESPONDENT
In the quarterfinal round of the TSSAA 2A playoff, the York Institute Dragons used a scorched earth policy to score 50 unanswered points in a 56-13 win over the Hampton Bulldogs on Friday night at JC Campbell Stadium.
“We got beat by a better team,” Bulldogs head coach Michael Lunsford said. “It snowballed on us in that second quarter and we knew it would be tough trying to beat a good team without Dylan.”
Senior QB Dylan Trivett suffered a torn right calf muscle on Wednesday and could not go on Friday night, with senior JJ McElyea taking control of the offense.
“I am so thankful for my teammates,” a tearful Trivett said. “I wouldn’t trade them for anything.”
First Quarter even Steven
York held Hampton on their first possession and scored on their own with Chadrick Leffew scoring on a one-yard run. The point after was no good. Hampton answered with a four-play, 56-yard drive with Chance Point making a diving 43-yard catch setting up the Bulldogs at the three-yard line.
Junior RB Dom Burleson scored from five yards out for a 6-6 first-period draw.
Second Quarter Dragons light up the scoreboard
The Dragons (13-0) scored five touchdowns in the second quarter to take a 43-6 lead into the halftime break. Miller scored on a 68-yard run and also had scoring receptions of 30 and 73 yards from QB Myles Leffew.
Blake Voiles had an 11-yard scoring run and Bryson Bilbrey had an eight-yard scoring reception as well to close out the first half.
Third Quarter York dominance continues
The Dragons increased their lead to 50-6 in the third period when Miller scored on a one-yard run with Jorge Soto adding the PAT kick.
Fourth quarter Bulldogs breakthrough
After an 18-yard scoring run from Logan Penell gave the Dragons a 56-6 advantage, the Bulldogs had their best scoring drive of the night with Shayden Oliver scoring from two yards out to cap a nine-play, 86-yard drive.
“I told the guys at halftime that you can lose and still be a winner if you don’t quit,” Lunsford said. “I am so proud of what these kids accomplished this year. Early on, we had some rats jump off the ship, so to speak, but we rallied around the kids that stayed. JJ made the best of a situation he had the guts to step into when Trivett got hurt and with a day and a half of practice, he played well.”
TSSAA Quarterfinal
JC Campbell Stadium
York Institute 56-13
York Institute 6 37 7 6 – 56
Hampton 6 0 0 7 – 13
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
Y – C. Leffew 1 run (run failed) 6:49
H – Burleson 5 run (run failed) 4:49
Second Quarter
Y – Miller 30 pass from M. Leffew (Miller run) 6:54
Y – Voiles 11 run (Voiles run) 6:01
Y – Miller 68 run (Leffew run) 3:36
Y – Miller 73 pass from M. Leffew (run failed) 1:24
Y – Bilbrey 8 pass from M. Leffew (Soto kick) :18
Third Quarter
Y – Miller 1 run (Soto kick) 8:17
Fourth Quarter
Y – Penell 18 run (kick failed) 9:31
H – Oliver 2 run (Nichols kick) 1:56
Individual Statistics
RUSHING
Y – Miller 8-117, Penell 6-103, Voiles 3-17, Leffew 10-32. H – Burleson 26-90, Carrico 1-1,
Townsend 10-25, Oliver 1-2.
PASSING
Y – M. Leffew 5-9, 171 yds. 3 TD, 0 int. H – McElyea 5-10, 98 yds. 0 TD, 0 int. Burleson 0-1, 0 yds. 0 TD, 1 int.
RECEIVING
Y – Miller 2-103, Beaty 2-68, Bilbrey 1-8. H – Point 2-53, McKinney 1-41, Carrico 1-4, Burleson 1-0.
