Cherokee County gridiron roundup

Bullard wins district opener

Bullard traveled to Wills Point for their District 7-4A opener, clawing for the 21-16 victory over the Tigers. Their overall record is 2-5, but they can boast of a 1-0 district record.

Total offensive yardage for the Panthers was 327 yards, 74 passing and 253 rushing.

Tristen Shewmake hit receivers eight times on 15 attempts for 74 yards. Nic Hooley caught three passes for 17 yards. Bryson Luscombe received two aerials for 34 yards. Martavion Allen and Latrez Young each caught eight-yard tosses. Riley Long picked up seven yards on a single pass.

Shewmake led in rushing yards, gaining 140 on 26 runs and scoring two touchdowns. Luscombe recorded 75 yards on 15 attempts, including a two-yard touchdown. Young added 37 yards on eight carries.

Christian Moore kicked off four times, with the longest sailing 50 yards.

The Tigers scored first on a 13-yard pass, but missed the extra kick. Before the first quarter was over, Bullard crossed the goal line on a 2-yard run by Luscombe. With a successful PAT by Moore, Bullard took the one-point lead. In the second period, Shewmake found the end zone on a 13-yard run. Moore’s kick was again good, upping the Panther lead to 14-6. Before the halftime break, Wills Point would make a field goal, but it wasn’t enough to overtake Bullard. The halftime score was 14-9 in favor of the Panthers.

Shewmake again found the end zone during the third quarter on a 29-yard run. Moore was again successful on the extra kick, increasing Bullard’s lead, 21-9. In the final frame, Wills Point recovered a fumble and ran it into the end zone. With a successful point after kick, the Tigers had closed the gap to 16-21. It would, however, be the final score of the game and Bullard would claim victory.

The Panthers will host Rusk for their homecoming game beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18.

Troup earns first district win

The Troup Tigers traveled to Quitman where they earned their first District 10-3A victory over the Bulldogs, 40-7, scoring 34 points in the first quarter.

Jordan Elliott, who was named offensive player of the game, completed eight of 12 passing attempts for 140 yards, three touchdowns and a passing completion rate of 66.7 percent.

Desmon Deason caught four aerials for 72 yards and two touchdowns. Jaden Lewis received a single nine-yard pass for a touchdown. Brayden Vess took two tosses, gaining 32 yards, and Daniel Leon’s single reception added 32 yards.

Leon was the leading rusher with 11 carries for 81 yards. Calob Smith added 61 yards on nine runs. West ran the ball four times, gaining 48 yards and scoring a touchdown. Deason recorded 18 yards on two carries and Vess added three yards rushing.

Kaden Mahoney, named defensive player of the game, led the team defensively, posting six tackles, four for losses, three assists and three sacks. Max Hale recorded four tackles, two for losses, and two assists. Jovany Zavala added four tackles, one for a loss, and two assists.

Parker Calltharp had three tackles, all for losses, one assist and a sack. Anthony Salgado posted three tackles and three assists. JJ Gossett added a tackle for a loss, two assists and a sack. Jeremiah Ramirez also recorded a tackle for a loss, one assist and a sack.

Troup will look to improve their district record, currently 1-2, when they host Frankston (2-3, 1-2) beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18.