Stratford breaks past Hobart Bearcats

Oct. 19 – STRATFORD – The Stratford Bulldogs saw Hobart take a touchdown lead and then edged the Bearcats 27-6 on Thursday night at Blackburn Field.

Stratford improved to 5-2 overall and 2-2 in county A-2 play, while Hobart fell to 3-4 and 1-3. The Bulldogs will hit the road next Friday to take on seventh-ranked Walters, who routed Minco 27-14 in Week 7.

“I was proud of our boys tonight. They played disciplined football against a good Hobart football team,” said Stratford head coach Michael Blackburn. “Offensively, we were able to create some explosive plays that we’ve been lacking the last couple of weeks.”

Quarterback Lincoln Hall and running back Joseph Smith rushed for more than 100 yards for the Bulldogs. Hall finished with 16 carries for 111 yards, and Smith followed with 21 carries for 103 yards and three touchdowns.

Sawyer Davidson scored on a 5-yard run for the Bearcats at the 7:29 mark of the first quarter, but the two-point pass fell incomplete to give the visitors a 6-0 lead.

Smith found the end zone from four yards out on the final play of the first period, and Taylor Arriaga’s PAT put Stratford on top for good, 7-6.

Smith broke free for a 55-yard cross-country run late in the second quarter, and Stratford led 14-6 at halftime.

With 1:09 left in the third period, Hall scored from 15 yards out to extend CXC’s lead to 21-6.

Smith scored the final touchdown of the night on a 3-yard run, but the PAT punt missed, leaving the home team with a 27-6 lead.

Stratford totaled 241 yards in the contest, and Hall finished 3 of 8 through the air for 34 yards. Braxton Bear had two catches for 30 yards for the Bulldogs.

Hobart managed 180 yards on 43 rushes, but completed only 2 of 10 passes for 20 yards.

Taylor Arriaga had a monster game on defense, making 20 tackles for Stratford. Bear was next with eight tackles, while the trio of Hall, Josiah Lester and Kaelin Dickerson added seven stops each.

“The boys played physical and were led by our middle linebacker Taylor Arriaga who made 20 tackles,” Blackburn said. “Now next Friday night we go on the road and play a very good Walters team.