Sports

BIG PLAY - Down 14-0 early in the second quarter versus Italy in a bi-district playoff game played in Robinson on Thursday of last week, a pair of Bulldog sophomores clapped back for perhaps the biggest play of the game for the Hamilton Bulldogs. Pictured, Reese Hungerford (left) flatbacks Italy QB Jaydon Saxon, jarring the ball loose at midfield. Kevin Smythe (below) is pictured scooping the fumble before reversing field 46 yards for the first of two touchdowns scored by the Bulldogs in a 44-13 loss to the Italy Gladiators.

LEADING RUSHER - Senior Taylor Long (10), pictured following the lead blocking of C.J. DeLeon (5), found the endzone for the eleventh time of the season during the fourth quarter of Hamilton’s bi-district playoff game versus Italy last Thursday evening. Long rushed for an astounding 1,015 yards and 11 touchdowns on 143 ball carries during his senior year. Long eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark in five of Hamilton’s 11 games, helping lead the Bulldogs to a winning 6-5 record. Staff/Hinton

RETURN SPECIALIST - Senior Austin Clark (1), pictured navigating the sideline in Robinson last Thursday evening, registered 80 yards on four kick returns versus Italy. In addition to providing Hamilton’s running and passing games a shot in the arm all season, Clark recorded 370 return yards on 12 kick returns for an average of 31 yards per return this year. Clark returned two kicks back for touchdowns this season, including a 79-yard return against Bangs and a 73- yard return versus Moody.

AIR RAID - Senior quarterback Keegan Votaw (11) connected with sophomore wideout Cooper LeGrande (22) on six occasions versus Italy for a total of 114 yards. LeGrande snagged a team leading 21 receptions for 441 yards and four touchdowns in 2021, including 11 catches for 168 yards receiving in the final two ballgames of the season. Staff/Hinton

100 CLUB - Freshman Jaxon Edwards (3), pictured tackling Italy’s Jaiden Barr, and senior Caleb Lengefeld (44), seen sizing up Gared Wood of Italy with Edwards nipping at his ankles, both recorded over 100 tackles this season. Edwards recorded 11 stops in Hamilton’s bi-district game versus Italy to finish with a team high 104 tackles on the season. Lengefeld capped his senior campaign with a team leading 18 tackles versus Italy in Robinson last Thursday, recording 102 tackles in just nine games played this year.Staff/Hinton

11 seniors for Hamilton suited out for their final home football game at Kooken Field last Friday night as the Bulldogs played host to district foe Bosqueville. Those seniors include Austin Clark, Jaydon Watson, Taylor Long, Keegan Votaw, Jason Rainbolt, Ben Bruce, Nathan Rogers, Alex Thiele, Jose Najera, Austin Anderson and Caleb Lengefeld. Friday night’s scuffle for third place in the final District 7-2A standings turned out to be a doggone shootout. Bosqueville and Hamilton each entered the contest with identical 5-4 records on the season and 3-2 district resumes. The two teams combined for a total of 56 points scored in the first half alone

SPECIAL TEAMS: Hamilton’s special teams created two turnovers last Friday night versus Bosqueville including a fumbled punt recovered by Cooper LeGrande and an onside kick recovered by Miguel Gonzales. Pictured, Ryan Worbington (9) breaks free for a 42-yard kick return, receiving kick out blocks by Ben Bruce (34), Reese Hungerford (24) and Austin Clark (1). Staff photo/Hinton

GREAT SEASON - The District 11-2A runner-up Lady Bulldogs with a 9-2 district record traveled to Lake Belton High School on Tuesday of last week to face the state-ranked Bosqueville Lady Bulldogs in the first round of the playoffs. After falling behind two sets by scores of 16-25 and 21-25, Hamilton’s Lady Dogs fought back to force a fourth set with a come from behind 25-23 third set victory. Bosqueville prevailed in the fourth and advanced to face Lindsay in the area-round where they lost in three sets. Pictured (l-r), the bi-district qualifying Lady Bulldog volleyball team including Coach O.J. Kemp, Coach Katie Emeyabbi, Head Coach Andrew Heers, Chloe Dolloff, Clementine Cooper, Laney Lane, Jordyn Medina, Karah Niemann, Lily Emeyabbi, Cortland Mehaffey, Kelton Wright, Campbell Lengefeld, Fernanda Olalde, Averi Poe, Addison Kelley, Brooklyn Bragg and Coach Cathe Allen. Kneeling on the front row, Ashlynn Cozby, Helena Knutson, Rosalinda Gutierrez, Peyton Raibourn and Kassidy Collett. Staff photo

STATE MEDALISTS - After setting a Hamilton High School boys’ record with a fourth in state finish last season, the 2021 Hamilton Bulldog cross country team shattered that bar on Saturday by placing second overall as a team at the Texas UIL State Cross Country Championships in Round Rock. In his fourth state appearance in as many years, senior Caleb Lengefeld led the Bulldog rush with a ninth in state individual finish, traversing the approximate threemile state course in a time of 17 minutes flat. Fellow all-region and all-state runner, Dawson Melde, claimed a top 25 finish, crossing the line in a time of 17:24 to place 23rd overall. In 28th place, Cuyler Pearcy clocked a 17:31 trailed by Hayden Blackwell in 46th position, Joseph Polster 53rd, Caden Hopper 63rd and Taylor Long 92nd out of the state’s top 147 2A runners. Pictured (l-r) during an awards ceremony following the state competition, the 2021 state runner-up Hamilton Bulldogs including Head Coach Brandun Massingill, Hunter Mize, Ben Cooper, Jaydon Watson, Cuyler Pearcy, Joseph Polster, Hayden Blackwell, Caden Hopper, Taylor Long, Dawson Melde, Caleb Lengefeld, John Polster, Garrison Blackwell and Coach Patick Blount. Staff photo