The Waldron Bulldogs couldn’t think of a better way to finalize their 2019 football season than by capsizing the Dover Pirates in a 48-7 home field finale. Also coupling as Senior Night for the Bulldogs, there’s no better way to go out than on top! Waldron ended their season with a 2-8 total play record and 2-5 in conference play. But don’t be deceived by the final numbers because they don’t do the Bulldogs any justice at all.
If you were fortunate enough to of had the chance to watch this team play, then you have seen the perfect example of Bulldog spirit. At any given moment throughout the entirety of any given game, Waldron emitted solidarity and gutsiness like no other. A brotherhood that should be proud of the things they accomplished this season, no matter how big or small. Playing in their last high school football game were 13 seniors whose heart and dedication will be missed in seasons to come.
Saying goodbye was Jace Black, Carson Cain, Justin Goodwin, Garron Deramus, Ruben Valdez, Seth Hunt, Fernando Uribe, Elijah Polen, Kennedy Rice, Weston VanRavensway, Bradley Smith, Rylee Shupert, and Joey Cardenas. Black, Goodwin, and Smith ended the game by putting to bed the Pirates offense with one assisted tackle each. Also going out with a blaze of glory was VanRavensway with his solo tackle in the game. And the Pirates never knew what hit them when Gabino Grano flew out of nowhere with his one solo and one assisted tackle. Bryson Bailey, Patrick Poor, Isaac Villarreal, and Cain delivered their own pain to Dover as they combined for seven solo tackles.
No matter how much the Pirates tried to chain up the Bulldogs, Waldron was able to put up 36 points in the first half of the game alone. Getting the Bulldog party started was a Braden Williams rocket launcher pass to Bailey for a 29-yard touchdown. Keeping the energy elevated was Caden Fuller who logged a 3-yard rushing touchdown continuing to roll up the score 12-0 Bulldogs.
The Pirates defense tried their hardest to chain up the Bulldogs offense but it was Waldron who laid claim to Dover’s loot when Williams yet again slung a pass to Fuller who in return ran it in for a 26-yard TD. Williams added the 2-point conversion and the scoreboard read 20-7 Bulldogs. Just as the Pirates were thinking they were finally going to make magic happen, Bailey shut down their dreams with a 15-yard interception of a Pirate pass.
With minutes left till the half, Bailey schooled the Pirates with a 20-yard reception from Williams for a TD and along with Carson Cains conversion, Waldron upgraded the score to 28-7. With Dover thinking they would be able to start preparing for halftime, the Bulldogs had other plans in mind. The Williams/Fuller duo was at it again with Willams delivering a Quarterback keeper for a TD and Fuller adding the two-point conversion sending the game into halftime with the Bulldogs up 36-7.
As the second half of the game got underway, the Bulldogs weren’t about to let Mother Nature freeze up their plans to go big or go home. Seth Hunt got into the action with his 5-yard TD from a Williams pass that not even Davey Jones’ Locker could get a grasp on. But the icing on the cake came not from the weather, but by lineman Joey “Can’t Touch This” Cardenas as he was a force to be reckoned with delivering the Bulldogs final touchdown of the night forcing the Dover Pirates to walk their own plank.
