Wartburg Downs Oakdale for First Victory
By Terry Futrell – September 7, 2018
It was a sweet evening for Wartburg football fans as the Bulldogs celebrated homecoming by earning their first victory of the 2018 season, defeating the Oakdale Eagles 49-0 on John R. Dillon field. The victory was the first on the Bulldogs home field since October 18, 2013 when they defeated Jellico 35-8. For Coach Kevin Human, it had to be satisfying to see his Bulldogs play effectively for four quarters for the first time this year. For Oakdale Coach J.R. Voyles, it was a tough loss in more ways than one. Oakdale junior Wayne Wilder left the game with a knee injury that will likely end his season, bringing the Eagles roster down to 17 players.
Wartburg took the opening kickoff and quickly moved to the Oakdale 14 where quarterback Josh Moore completed a 35-yard pass to Caleb McCarty. A personal foul penalty followed by an interception by Oakdale’s Cole Tilson ended the drive for the Bulldogs.
Oakdale took over on their own 20 and moved the ball to the Wartburg 41 before turning the ball over on downs. The drive was aided by two penalties against the Bulldogs, one of which was a costly unsportsmanlike conduct 15-yarder.
Wartburg once again took over with 5:27 left in the first quarter. A series of runs by Josh Moore and Saylor Jones, as well as a 6-yard pass from Moore to Caleb McCarty, moved the ball to the Oakdale 26. Aided by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against the Eagles, Wartburg moved the ball to the 8-yard line. After a short 2-yard run by Saylor Jones, Moore hit Colby Justes with an outlet pass and Justice took the ball 6 yards for the first Bulldog touchdown. The kick was good and the Bulldogs led 7-0.
Oakdale took the kickoff at their own 26 but could not move beyond the 41-yard line and had to punt. Wartburg moved the ball to the Oakdale 37, then Josh Moore broke outside and ran 37 yards for the second Bulldog touchdown. After the successful PAT, the Bulldogs led 14-0.
Oakdale’s next drive was marked by penalties and ended with a fumble recovery by Wartburg’s Saylor Jones at the Eagles 19-yard line. A series of short runs by Moore, Jones, and Justes, coupled with a horse collar tackle penalty on the Eagles, moved the ball to the 1, from where Moore ran the ball in for the Bulldogs third touchdown. The 2-point conversion attempt failed and the Bulldogs led 20-0, which remained the score at the end of the first half.
In the first three games of the season, the Bulldogs could find little success in moving the ball or in stopping opponents in the second half of each game. Not so, tonight! The invigorated Bulldogs came out ferociously attacking the Eagles, both defensively and offensively. On the third play of the Eagles opening drive, Colby Justes intercepted an Eli Solomon pass and the Bulldogs took over at their own 32. After runs by Bailey Crago and Moore moved the ball to the Wartburg 44, Moore hit Caleb McCarty with a 56-yard pass for a touchdown. The 2-point conversion attempt was good and the Bulldogs led 28-0 with 9:38 left in the third quarter.
After the kickoff, Oakdale went 3-and-out and punted the ball. Saylor Jones returned the Eagles punt 40 yards for another Bulldog touchdown. The PAT failed and the Bulldogs led 34-0. Oakdale once again went 3-and-out and punted. This time Josh Moore received the punt and ran it back 42 yards to the Oakdale 28. Moore then hit Colby Justes in the end zone for a 28-yard touchdown. The PAT was good and the Bulldogs led 41-0.
Oakdale’s next series was hampered by a fumble and a false start penalty. Justes intercepted another Eagle pass and ran the ball to the Eagle 21, but a penalty moved the Bulldog start back to the Eagle 30. Samuel McCarty took over quarterback duties for the Bulldogs, with Konner Carpenter filling the running back slot. Carpenter ran the ball to the Oakdale 10, then ran the ball in for another Bulldog touchdown. The 2-point conversion was good and the Bulldogs led 49-0 at the end of the third quarter.
The Eagles could not muster any offense in the fourth quarter and the Bulldogs concentrated on running the ball and the clock with Carpenter shouldering the load.
Perhaps the greatest highlight of tonight’s game was the toughness demonstrated by the Bulldogs throughout four quarters. This toughness was epitomized by Josh Moore, who at one point fell to his knees on the sideline vomiting profusely. The next series, he was back in the game giving all that he had. Rejoice, Wartburg fans – the Bulldog stands tall and proud!
Click on the photos below to view larger versions.
