Bulldogs overwhelm Wolverines for win
DECATUR — It was a very special night for Decatur Bulldog fans as they celebrated the 2020 homecoming eight-man football game at Bulldog Stadium Friday against the Western Yell County Wolverines
Prior to the game, Bryson Funk was crowned king and Anabella Schopper was crowned queen in the 2020 homecoming coronation ceremony held at the 50-yard line. The ceremony lasted about 15 minutes, and then it was time to play football.
For most of the first quarter, possessions passed back and forth between the Bulldogs and Wolverines. Western Yell moved the ball to within 15 yards of a touchdown but Decatur’s strong defense held fast, denying the Wolverines an early score.
With two minutes left in the quarter, the Bulldogs were on their own 14-yard line when quarterback Bryson Funk found running back Carlo Hernandez at the Wolverine 43-yard line. Hernandez broke free from two tackles and found open field ahead for a 57-yard touchdown run, the first of the night for the Bulldogs. The point-after kick by Roger Hernandez split the uprights, giving Decatur a 7-0 lead.
Two minutes into the second quarter, a pass by the Wolverine quarterback was intercepted by Funk at the Western Yell 19-yard line, resulting in the Bulldogs gaining possession of the ball on the two-yard line. But a series of penalties by Decatur pushed the ball back to the 30-yard line. Two plays later, a Funk to Carlo Hernandez pass resulted in a 20-yard touchdown run, the second for Hernandez. Once again, the extra point attempt by Roger Hernandez split the uprights, putting the Bulldogs in control of the contest, 14-0.
With five minutes left in the half, Western Yell’s Jaden Day crossed the goal line for the Wolverines’ first touchdown. The twopoint conversion made it to the one-yard line before a pack of Bulldogs pushed it back, foiling the attempt.
Carlo Hernandez crossed the goal line one more time in the first half for six more points. The conversion attempt failed, giving the Bulldogs a 20-6 lead going into the halftime break.
Neither team scored throughout much of the third quarter until the two minutes mark, when a Shayden Deeds to Day hand-off resulted in a 20-yard touchdown run for the Wolverines. The conversion attempt was rejected by Decatur, making it a 20-12 contest.
Action picked back up in the final 12 minutes of the game when Kevin Sanchez found the corner of the end zone for the Bulldogs’ fourth touchdown of the night. Roger Hernandez’s point after was good, giving the Bulldogs a 15 point lead.
A short time later Carlo Hernandez once again crossed the goal line for his fourth touchdown. Funk’s conversion attempt was good, expanding Decatur’s lead to 23.
A quarterback keeper by Deeds ran into the end zone for the final touchdown of the contest for Western Yell County. The conversion failed, cutting the Bulldogs lead back to 17.
Decatur scored a final touchdown on a quarterback keeper by Funk, and the extra point by Roger Hernandez extended the Decatur lead to 24 with three minutes left to play.
Toward the end of the game, when it became apparent that the Wolverines had no hope of catching up, head coach
Grant Hutson decided to let his backup players earn a little game experience. One of those players was Larry Thompson, a special needs student who dreamed of playing in a football contest. Since homecoming is about dreams, Thompson was put in on defense.
As the game progressed the crowd, led by Thompson’s teammate Victor Gonzalez and the Decatur band, began chanting, “Larry, Larry, Larry, Larry.” As Thompson continued to play on, the chanting became louder. Then, a miracle occurred that would fulfill one of Thompson’s dreams of making a big play.
The Wolverine quarterback Deeds faded back, looking for a receiver, Thompson came up on his blindside, knocking Deeds to the ground for the sack that resulted in a significant loss for Western Yell and prevented a touchdown. As Thompson and his defensive teammates exited the field when Decatur took possession of the football for the final time, the crowd erupted into a thunderous cheer, shouting, “Larry, Larry,” once again.
For Thompson, the dream of playing in a football game became reality and in a big way.
As the horn sounded, ending the contest, the Decatur Bulldogs realized a dream of their own, a mark in the winner’s column, 42-18, over the Western Yell County Wolverines.
Another dream fulfilled that night, made possible by the Decatur Bulldogs football team, was Grant Hutson’s first career win as head coach, forging his own piece of the Decatur football legacy.