New Waverly scores touchdowns on its first nine possessions, finishes non-district play with a 5-0 record
HEMPSTEAD, Texas - New Waverly did not allow another dramatic finish Friday night.
A week after rallying for a one-point victory over Trinity, the Bulldogs scored on their first nine offensive possessions and overwhelmed Hempstead 60-8 to complete an unbeaten run through their non-district schedule.
Quarterback Ryson Nunez accounted for seven touchdowns, throwing six scoring passes to five receivers and adding a touchdown run. New Waverly led 21-0 after one quarter and 47-0 at halftime before turning the game over to its reserves.
The Bulldogs improved to 5-0 and have scored 227 points while allowing 84 this season. Hempstead fell to 1-4.
New Waverly’s defense repeatedly pressured Hempstead’s quarterbacks, forced a string of early three-and-outs and did not allow the Bobcats’ offense to score. Hempstead’s only points came on a late fumble return and 2-point conversion.
Bulldogs waste little time
Hempstead received the opening kickoff but quickly went three-and-out. New Waverly took possession at its 45-yard line and drove 55 yards for the opening touchdown.
Nunez finished the march with an 18-yard scoring pass to Leo Escobedo. Escobedo added the extra point to give New Waverly a 7-0 lead with 7:11 remaining in the first quarter.
Hempstead again failed to move the chains, and the Bulldogs struck through the air on their second possession. Nunez connected with Braylin James for a 34-yard touchdown, extending the advantage to 14-0.
The New Waverly defense forced another punt, giving the offense possession in Hempstead territory. Khalil Major helped move the Bulldogs into the red zone before Nunez scored on a 2-yard keeper with 11 seconds left in the first quarter.
Escobedo’s kick made it 21-0.
The Bulldogs then recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, with James securing the loose ball at the Hempstead 20. That recovery gave New Waverly another short field as the first quarter ended.
Nunez spreads the ball around
New Waverly needed only nine seconds of the second quarter to score again.
Nunez found Escobedo for a 20-yard touchdown, giving the receiver his second score of the night. A mishandled snap prevented the extra point, but the Bulldogs had pushed their lead to 27-0 with 11:51 remaining in the half.
Escobedo was one of five New Waverly receivers to catch a touchdown pass.
After another defensive stop, the Bulldogs began at the Hempstead 47. Major provided several tough runs before Malik Smith carried the ball into the red zone.
Facing third down, Nunez located Colton Miller in the corner of the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown. Escobedo’s extra point made it 34-0 with 6:18 left in the second quarter.
The defense immediately created another opportunity.
A high snap sailed over Hempstead quarterback Keenan Wilson, and Smith recovered the fumble at the Bobcats’ 18. On the next play, Nunez escaped pressure, rolled to his right and found Luke Doll in the end zone.
The 18-yard touchdown pass and Escobedo’s kick increased the lead to 41-0 with 5:21 remaining before halftime.
New Waverly added one more touchdown before the break. Starting at the Hempstead 39, the Bulldogs moved the chains with runs by Jace Wells. Nunez then delivered a short pass to Rhyder Armstrong, who found open space and completed a 26-yard scoring play.
The conversion attempt failed, leaving New Waverly ahead 47-0 with 1:49 left in the half.
Through seven offensive possessions, the Bulldogs had produced seven touchdowns.
Defense controls the first half
New Waverly’s defensive front dictated the game from the opening series.
The Bulldogs registered several early sacks and consistently forced Hempstead’s quarterbacks to throw under pressure. The Bobcats did not earn their first non-penalty first down until fewer than six minutes remained in the second quarter.
Luke Doll provided tight coverage in the secondary, while Stash Buckner, Smith and the New Waverly front limited Hempstead’s running game. Keegan Garza also made an open-field tackle after one of the Bobcats’ few successful first-half completions.
Hempstead used both Wilson and Jessie Alexander at quarterback, but neither could sustain a scoring drive before halftime.
When Hempstead finally crossed midfield late in the second quarter, the Bulldogs forced two incompletions and took possession on downs. New Waverly then ended the half in victory formation with a 47-point lead.
“We’ve got to be clean. You can’t be sloppy,” New Waverly coach Dean Schaub said at halftime. “A lot of starters are coming off. The other guys are coming in, so we can’t look sloppy. We have to look clean like the first half.”
Wells starts second-half scoring
New Waverly received the second-half kickoff and continued its scoring streak.
The Bulldogs faced fourth down near midfield, but Nunez kept the ball and broke into Hempstead territory for a first down. A screen pass to Garza moved New Waverly into the red zone before Wells scored on a 17-yard run.
Isaac Bara-Hail converted the extra point, giving New Waverly a 54-0 lead with 6:30 remaining in the third quarter.
Wells was selected as the broadcast’s player of the game after contributing as a runner and Escobedo’s holder.
“We were just looking to come out here and not put any pressure on ourselves,” Wells said.
Wells credited New Waverly’s offensive line, particularly left tackle Cedric Polhamus, for creating running lanes.
“Every time we get in a little predicament, a little issue, he’s always turning around telling me, ‘Come to me. Come to me. I’m blocking for you,’” Wells said. “Cedric, that’s my man right there.”
Wells also thanked the family members who encouraged him to remain with the team.
“At the beginning of the season, I wasn’t going to play,” Wells said. “They pushed me and kept me here, and I’m glad I did.”
Reserves finish the job
With a running clock and many of New Waverly’s starters on the sideline, Smith supplied the Bulldogs’ final touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
Smith took a handoff up the middle, broke through the first wave of defenders and raced 45 yards to the end zone. The extra-point attempt missed, leaving New Waverly ahead 60-0 with 9:44 remaining.
The touchdown completed a remarkable offensive stretch. New Waverly reached the end zone on each of its first nine possessions.
Hempstead put together its longest offensive drive of the night midway through the fourth quarter. Ricky Young broke free for a long run, and Tre’Daveon Smith caught a pass near the New Waverly goal line.
The Bulldogs’ reserve defense preserved the shutout on that possession, stopping Hempstead on fourth down near the 6-yard line.
The Bobcats finally reached the scoreboard on the following play. T'onte McDade recovered a New Waverly fumble and returned it for a touchdown with 1:10 remaining. After a botched snap, Dylan Garfield then completed a pass to Kendall Jeffery for the 2-point conversion.
It was Hempstead’s only score of the game and did not come against New Waverly’s defense.
Perfect through non-district play
New Waverly’s 5-0 start includes victories over Tarkington, Keene, Crockett, Trinity and Hempstead.
The Bulldogs have scored at least 30 points in every game and have reached 45 points three times. The 60 points against Hempstead marked their highest total of the season.
The nature of the victories has varied. New Waverly controlled Tarkington and Keene, survived a two-point game against Crockett and erased a 20-point deficit to defeat Trinity 36-35. Against Hempstead, the Bulldogs were in control almost immediately.
Schaub said the Bulldogs will have to put the unbeaten start behind them as they prepare for a demanding district schedule.
“We’ve got to keep them grounded,” Schaub said. “We just told them that from here on out, the teams are getting very, very, very good.”
New Waverly enters its bye week with momentum, but Schaub said the immediate emphasis will be recovery rather than looking ahead.
“Next week’s the bye week,” Schaub said. “We’re going to lick our wounds. We’re going to have a nice week to heal.”
Next matchup
New Waverly has an open date next week before beginning District 12-3A Division II play against Woodville at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, at Bulldog Stadium.
The game begins a five-week district schedule that also includes Newton, Hardin, Warren and Kountze.
“Non-district is over with,” Schaub said. “Right now, it’s a fight in the district on who’s going to do what.”
BOX SCORE
Team 1 2 3 4 Final
New Waverly 21 26 7 6 60
Hempstead 0 0 0 8 8
SCORING SUMMARY
First quarter
7:11 - NW: Leo Escobedo 18-yard pass from Ryson Nunez. Escobedo kick.
Time unavailable - NW: Braylin James 34-yard pass from Nunez. Escobedo kick.
0:11 - NW: Nunez 2-yard run. Escobedo kick.
Second quarter
11:51 - NW: Escobedo 20-yard pass from Nunez. Conversion failed.
6:18 - NW: Colton Miller 14-yard pass from Nunez. Escobedo kick.
5:21 - NW: Luke Doll 18-yard pass from Nunez. Escobedo kick.
1:49 - NW: Rhyder Armstrong 26-yard pass from Nunez. Conversion failed.
Third quarter
6:30 - NW: Jace Wells 17-yard run. Isaac Barahel kick.
Fourth quarter
9:44 - NW: Malik Smith 45-yard run. Kick failed.
1:10 - HEMP: Tonte McDade fumble return. Kendall Jeffery pass from Dylan Garfield.
Football
Bulldogs strike early, bury Hempstead 60-8 to remain unbeaten
