GONZALEZ — Sparked by a 200-yard, 28-point second quarter Tate rolled to a 42-28 District 1-7A win over Crestview on Friday.
Things couldn’t have started much better for the Bulldogs (2-6, 0-1).
Crestview’s defense stopped the Aggies (6-2, 1-1) on a fourth-and-less than a yard inside the Bulldog 35. Crestview then went 67-yards of five plays for the first score of the game.
Crestview-Tate football photos>>>
The quick drive was capped by a 49-yard touchdown pass from Rusty Moorer to Marquis McClain. Tyler Hancock added the extra point and the Bulldogs led 7-0 with 6:31 left in the opening stanza.
Crestview’s defense continued to play well in the first quarter forcing the Aggies to a three-and-out and holding them to a field goal attempt that was wide right.
Things changed in the second quarter as Tate turned big plays into scores while racking up 28 points.
A short Bulldog punt early in the second quarter set the Aggies up at the Crestview 32. It looked as if the Bulldog defense had again risen to the occasion pushing the Aggies backwards two yards on the first three downs.
Facing a fourth-and-12 at the Bulldog 34 Aggie wide receiver Reginald Payne slipped behind the Crestview secondary and quarterback Sawyer Smith hit him with a scoring pass with 10:11 left in the half. Chase Seibert added the extra point as the flood gates opened for the Aggies.
Alondo Thompkins, who led Tate with 153 yards rushing, gained 55 of those yards on a touchdown run that put the Aggies in front for good with 8:14 left in the half. Payne scored on a 1-yard run and Smith hit Darren Lee with a 44-yard touchdown pass to close out the scoring barrage.
Things went from bad to worse for the Bulldogs on the first play from scrimmage of the third quarter when Crestview quarterback Rusty Moorer was intercepted by Tate’s Devekyo Lewis. Lewis returned the ball to the Bulldog 33.
Five plays later Sawyer scored from two yards out to make it 35 unanswered Aggie points.
A long kickoff return by Malique Studevan set Crestview up at the Tate 33.
Runs by D.J. Stewart and Moorer gave the Bulldogs a first down at 21. Three plays later Moorer hit Rodderick Skinner on a pass that put the ball at the Aggies 1-yard line to set up a Stewart touchdown.
When Altone Thompson scored a 2-yard touchdown for Tate with 9:28 left in the game it looked as if the Aggies had the game well in hand.
Things changed with Crestview’s Marcus Mobley returned a fumble 20 yards for a touchdown. The Bulldogs successfully executed the onside kick at the Tate 30.
Six plays later Moorer hit Andrew Adkins with a 17-yard touchdown pass as Crestview cut the Tate lead to 42-28 with 6:23 left in the fourth quarter and that’s how the game would end.
“For whatever reason we can’t seem to put it all together,” Bulldog coach Tim Hatten said. “We just have to go to the drawing board and put it back together. We are going to keep battling, that’s what we are going to do.”
The Bulldogs could still make the playoffs, but to do so they must beat Niceville on Halloween night to force a shootout and then hope they can pull an upset in the shootout.
EmailNews Bulletin Sports Editor Randy Dickson, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Second quarter dooms Bulldogs (PHOTOS, VIDEO)