Yellow Jackets Down Bulldogs 43-19, in Opener

BROWNWOOD, TX -- The Texas Lutheran Bulldogs opened their season on the road against Howard Payne University in American Southwest Conference action but a combiantion of untimely penalties, an agressive Yellow Jackets defense, and a Howard Payne air attack that yielded 431 yards proved to be too much in the Bulldogs 43-19 season opening loss.

After a Juan Ocampo (Lockhart/Lockhart) field goal put the Bulldogs ahead 3-0 on the opening drive, the young Bulldogs defense faced an offensive onslaught from Howard Payne as the Yellow Jackets would score 20 unaswered points over the course of the next 3 quarters. The Bulldogs seemingly gained some momentum as they closed the Howard Payne lead to 20-10 after a DaKory Willis (Flatonia/Flatonia) rushing touchdown in the third but Howard Payne responded in a third quarter that saw the Yellow Jackets out score the Bulldogs 20-7.

The Yellow Jackets would score 10 more points in the fourth to close out the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs narrowly won the possesion battle 30:56 to 29:04 thanks to the Bulldogs patented running game but the Yellow Jackets won the game via explosive plays throught the Saturday afternoon affair.

Dakory Willis led the Bulldogs in rushing with 91 yards on 21 carries - scoring one touchdown. Sophomore RB Jacob Forton - who finished second in rushing with 73 yards - gained most of his yards on one play - a 50 yard sprint to the end zone late in the fourth quarter.

Quarterback Seth Cosme (Angleton/Angleton) finished 13 of 25 for 136 yards through the air while rushing for 38 on 9 attempts.

Sophomore defensive back Sultan Abdullah (Sweeny/Columbia) led the Bulldogs defensively with nine tackles - eight solo.

The Bulldogs (0-1, 0-1) are at home next week for the home opener vs. Austin College (0-0) at 1PM at Bulldog Stadium.