White Hall wallops Warren, 35-0
WHITE HALL — The more the Warren Lumberjacks threatened to score in the first half, the more the White Hall Bulldogs caught a break.
In the second half, the Bulldogs hardly took a break. Matthew Martinez rushed for a touchdown and threw for another, and Braylon Johnson intercepted two passes.
White Hall, playing at home, forced four Warren turnovers in posting a 35-0 victory over last season’s Class 4A semifinalists Friday night.
Martinez, the Bulldogs’ senior quarterback, rushed 18 times for 130 yards and completed nine of 14 passes for 129 yards. His lone touchdown pass went 35 yards to Jordan Jackson to start the second quarter, after a scoreless first 12 minutes.
Jackson had 106 yards on five receptions.
The Bulldogs (2-0) shut out the Lumberjacks (0-1) despite giving up two plays of 40-plus yards and a 17-play drive in the first half. A loss of 41 yards on a fumble the Lumberjacks recovered on their opening possession all but set the tone for a tough night.
The second half turned out even better for the Bulldogs’ defense. They held the Lumberjacks to one first down and earned three takeaways.
Tekaylin Johnson picked off a pass for White Hall. Warren lost one of two fumbles on the game.
Durran Cain rushed 2 yards for a touchdown to finish off an 11-play, 56-yard opening series of the second half. Cain totaled 52 yards on 11 carries, adding his second touchdown of the night from 5 yards out and adding a two-point conversion early in the fourth quarter.
Martinez snuck into the end zone late in the third quarter to put the Bulldogs ahead 20-0.
White Hall sophomore Jayden Smith broke a 54-yard run late in the game and scored on a 9-yard run to finish the scoring. Smith
had 75 yards on six carries.
Riley Cornish completed eight of 24 passes for 156 yards with three interceptions.
THE GAME CHANGED WHEN …
White Hall, hanging on to a 7-0 lead, forced Warren to turn the ball over on downs after a 17-play drive that went from the Lumberjacks’ 20-yard line to the Bulldogs’ 15-yard line in the second quarter. The Lumberjacks would not establish another drive of that length.
THE GAME BALL GOES TO …
Martinez for his 259 yards of total offense and Johnson for two interceptions.
NEXT UP …
White Hall will visit Little Rock Parkview in a meeting of brothers and head coaches — the Bulldogs’ Bobby Bolding and Patriots’ Brad Bolding.
Warren will host Stuttgart.