Baby Bulldogs roll past Boones Creek

By Ivan Sanders
STAR STAFF
isanders@starhq.com

   Boones Creek found a mean bunch of Bulldogs on the loose in J.C. Campbell Stadium in Hampton on Thursday night, as the Hampton Jr. Dogs dominated in every phase of the contest to take a 38-22 opening-season win.
   Needing someone to become the field general, Coach Kelly Oliver found several players that were waiting to respond to his challenge.
   Jared Irick and Dustin Jaynes accounted for all the scoring, with Irick rumbling 66 yards on six carries and three touchdowns and Jaynes accounting for 67 yards on five carries with one rushing touchdown, three two-point conversions, and a defensive touchdown on an interception good for 40 yards.
   Brooks Price also had a solid game, picking up 48 yards on only four carries from the Jr. 'Dog backfield.
   "These guys came out ready to play tonight," said Oliver. "We finally got the leadership that we have needed plus we had Jaynes, which is always a positive."
   The Jr. 'Dogs wasted little time in denting the scoring column as Irick took a one-yard sweep toss to the right for the game;s first touchdown and Hampton's first TD of 2003. Jaynes' two-point conversion was good and at the 5:14 mark of the first quarter, Hampton led 8-0.
   After holding Boones Creek to a three and out, Hampton's Irick scampered in to paydirt on a 34-yard touchdown run before the chain gang could even get set. Jaynes added his second two-point conversion of the evening to extend its lead to 16-0 with 2:04 left in the opening quarter.
   Jaynes decided to perform a little magic on defense, as the sturdy player stepped in front of a Noah Taylor offering and raced 40 yards to the end zone for six points, then scored the two-point conversion. With 12 seconds off the second-period clock, the Jr. 'Dogs were in total control with a 24-0 advantage.
   Boones Creek cracked its side of the scoreboard as Marcus Arnette capped off a great display of power running and clock control. The Bars used a two-yard TD run and a two-point conversion by Arnette with 2:36 showing in the third to narrow the gap to 24-8.
   Jaynes responded by scoring once again with 5:10 left in the third stanza on a three-yard burst around the end, and Hampton's edge stood at 32-8 after an Irick two-point conversion.
   With the score, the nail was all ready driven into the coffin and all that was left was finding out what the final outcome was going to be.
   Jeremy Hood scored the second Boones Creek touchdown on a one-yard plunge. Lyle Loving caught a pass from QB Taylor for the two-point conversion to nudge Boones Creek, trailing now by a score 32-16, closer.
   Irick finished off the Jr. 'Dog scoring on a four-yard charge with only 2:58 left to play. The two-point conversion failed and Hampton was up 38-16 with only a few ticks left on the clock.
   Boones Creek showed a never-say-die attitude by scoring as time was winding to an end. Taylor found Loving wide open over the middle and hit the sure-handed receiver with a 32-yard scoring toss. The extra point was no good and the final score stood at 38-22.
   "We really didn't know what to expect from these guys," stated Oliver. "I am pleased with the way our kids responded."
   Hampton entertains Cloudland on Thursday, Aug. 28 at J.C. Campbell Stadium.