If Sulphur was firing on all cylinders last week in a big win over Davis, you could say the Bulldogs kicked it into hyper speed on Friday night against Cache.
No. 3 Sulphur junior Briar Davenport took the opening kickoff back and the Dogs never slowed down, completely dominating Cache in a 62-7 win.
The Dogs (2-1) led 35-0 after a quarter and 56-0 at half, as they overmatched Cache in all facets. “We came out fast and focused,” said Sulphur head coach Corey Cole. “We have a very veteran group and they understand that every week is a big game and we played outstandingly.”
After Davenport’s 95-yard untouched return put the Dogs up 7-0 just 13 seconds into the game, Sulphur got the ball back quickly.
The defense forced a 3-and-out and the offense made it 14-0 fast.
On the 3rd play of the drive, quarterback Luke Linville swung it out to junior receiver Maddax Mobly, who found an opening, trucked a defender and outran the Cache defense.
The 51-yard score put Sulphur up two scores just minutes into the game.
After another 3-and-out, Linville connected with Mobly again for 28 yards to move it to the Cache 16.
On the next play, Linville kept it, broke a tackle and found his way into the end zone to make it 21-0 with seven minutes left in the opening quarter.
“Luke was fantastic and our offense was humming,” Cole said. “We were executing at a very high level. The offense has really taken off the last couple of weeks. We are trying to keep things simple for our kids and they are really picking up on it.”
The defense forced another punt after three plays, allowing the offense to extend the lead.
Mobly returned the Cache punt 29 yards to set Sulphur up at the Cache 28, where the Dogs would need just five plays to score.
Cash Matlack plunged into the end zone from two yards out, as Sulphur extended its lead to 28-0.
Another quick punt by the dominating Sulphur defense gave the Dogs the ball back to push the lead out further.
Linville connected down the home sideline with senior tight end Jett Runyan, who made a one-handed diving catch.
The 42-yard gain put Sulphur at the 10-yard line, where Matlack scored from on the following play.
Sulphur led 35-0 with 2:16 left in the 1st.
After forcing a punt again, the Dogs were ready to keep the gas pedal down.
Linville connected with Davenport for 16 yards and junior tight end Colten Cole for 28 yards, along with a 12-yard run from senior back Austin Garrett to put Sulphur inside the Cache 20 after just three plays.
After a couple of penalties backed Sulphur up, the Dogs still found a way to hit pay-dirt, as Linville found a wide open receiver Drake Wood, who walked into the end zone.
“He played basically a perfect game and his only incompletion was a dropped pass,” he said. “He has played really, really well for us and it has allowed us to use Colten in some different spots at tight end. He is a physical blocker and it has really opened up our offense.”
The 39-yard score made it 42-0 early in the 2nd.
Sulphur wasn’t done yet, as the offense scored again shortly after getting it back from the suffocating Dogs’ defense.
Junior Grady Hardoin had a 23-yard run to set up another passing touchdown, as this time Linville found sophomore receiver Bridge Barrett, who made a great adjustment to catch it in the corner of the end zone for the 17-yard score.
“We are playing with a really fast tempo and we are mixing in a lot of different personnel,” Cole said. “There are some things we can improve on, sure. But coach (Channing) Hickman and those guys on offense are in a great groove right now and continuing to improve each week.”
It was 49-0 Sulphur midway through the 2nd quarter.
Just before the half, the defense finally got a turnover, as Wood pounced on the ball on Cache’s first play of the following drive.
“The defense was suffocating,” Cole said. “We may have set a school record for 3-and-outs. We controlled the line of scrimmage and were flying around. We were very physical and our defense is just really playing at a high level right now.”
Three plays later, quarterback Traber Sators found Cooper Cole, who sneaked out of the back field and made a move to get in the end zone.
The 14-yard pitch and catch took things into the halftime locker room with Sulphur up 56-0.
The Dogs lone touchdown in the 2nd half came on a 12-play, 77-yard drive late in the 3rd.
Madden Duck scored from two yards out to make it 62-0 with 1:08 left in the quarter.
“Our practices have been incredible the last couple of weeks and our attendance in the weight room continues to be great,” Cole said. “We have some great leaders and that leadership is really showing up in everything that we do.”
Linville was 13-of-14 for 323 yards and three touchdowns in the win. He added 25 yards on three carries, as well.
Mobly had the two grabs for 80 yards, while Colten Cole also caught two passes for 41 yards.
Davenport had three catches for 61 yards, while freshman receiver Carter Cole had three grabs for 41 yards.
Hardoin led the Sulphur rushing attack with seven carries for 51 yards.
Jojo Gray had four carries for 23 yards in the win.
Sulphur totaled 516 yards in the win, as the Dogs rushed 27 times for 175 yards.
Cache had just 103 yards on 37 carries as a team and totaled -6 yards passing in the loss.
Sulphur forced seven punts and Cache was just 2-of-11 on 3rd down.
The Dogs will have a big matchup this week, when they travel to Perkins for the first district matchup.
The Demons were state semifinalists in Class 3A last season.
Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
PHOTO BY BLAKE SEALE
