Cards Send Dogs To The Pound

PASCO -- The WP Cardinals continued their dream season with a 42-13 pounding of the Colfax Bulldogs last Saturday night.

The win leaves the boys of fall with a perfect 13-0 record and proved that the depth of their bench is as deep as their fans love for them.

The intensity in the stands was as fierce as on the field as the Bulldogs pushed the ball down to the WP 18-yard line on the opening drive. The heat was on as the Bulldogs kept with their running game, but Dalton Estes broke through the Bulldog line and took down quarterback Justin Berarducci for a loss of 1 yard and put the Bulldogs in a fourth-and-seven situation.

The defense was on fire and wasn't giving anything up.

Berarducci was taken down on a quarterback keeper and the Cardinals took over on downs on their 12-yard line .

Two back- to- back receptions from Dalton Estes brought the Cards out of the red zone and the fans to their feet .

A quick 7-yard reception from Devin Acevedo, a quarterback keeper from Zach Bartlow, and a short 4-yard gain from Billy Brown put the Cards on their 47-yard line.

It was another Estes reception for a 49-yard gain that brought the Cards to the Bulldog 4-yard line and the fans back to their feet.

A quarterback keeper on first and goal from Bartlow put the Cardinals into the end zone with 3:09 left in the first. Jose Barajas split the uprights and the Cardinals took a little bite out of the Bulldogs bark with a 7-0 lead.

The Bulldogs were three plays into their second drive of the game when Eshom Estes wrapped himself around Berarducci as Brown stripped the ball loose and recovered it on the WP 37-yard line.

The Cardinals kept that momentum with a 13-yard reception from Justin Zuger and a 6-yard quarterback keeper from Bartlow.

Brown was stopped after gaining just 1 yard and the Cardinals ended the first quarter on fourth and seven on the Bulldog 47-yard line.

The Cardinals lined up in punt formation, but the Bulldogs let too many dogs out of the doghouse and the Cardinals gained 5 yards from an extra man on the field.

Still lined up in punt formation, it was another trick play from the Cards that had Bartlow rushing to the Bulldog 20-yard line keeping the drive alive.

The Bulldogs clipped a little off the Cardinals wings with a 10-yard quarterback sack, but the Cards soared to a 14-0 lead with a leaping Estes reception in the end zone from 30-yards out with 9:28 left in the half.

The Bulldogs were quick to answer, taking just two minutes to drive 70 yards before Alvin Li took it up the middle from 4 yards out.

The big red birds didn't let that take the wind out of their wings, even after Bartlow slipped on the kickoff return and downed the ball on their 19-yard line.

Another Dalton Estes reception for 24 yards and a Bartlow keeper brought the Cards to the Bulldog 49-yard line .

T he Cards looked to Brown on second and two in hopes for another one of his crowd-pleasing breakaway runs, but the Bulldogs had his number and he was held to a 2-yard gain just inches shy of a first down.

It was Bartlow who took it up the middle to save the drive before finding Acevedo who juked and jived his way to the end zone from 46 yards out .

The Cardinal defense took some time in the spotlight as Cadman Donovan gave up no ground on Bulldog running back Li and Cardinal lineman Greg Stearns followed that up with a Berarducci sack for a loss of 3 yards.

The Bulldogs were left with no option but to punt after a negative 4-yard offense drive with 3 minutes left in the half.

Brown was able to push out 6 yards before Bartlow broke away to the Bulldog 26- yard line. Two quarterback keepers from Bartlow and an Estes reception brought the Cards to the Bulldog 19-yard line with 28.6 seconds left in the half.

That was all Bartlow needed to find Acevedo up the middle in the end zone for another Cardinal touchdown and a commanding 28-7 halftime WP lead.

The Cardinals took first possession of the second half, but were denied an opening drive score when Berarducci picked off Bartlow in the end zone.

The Cardinal defense continued to show no mercy led by another Greg Stearns quarterback sack for a loss of 3 yards and a total offense drive totally just 7 yards. The Bulldogs were forced to punt from their own 37-yard line.

With the Bulldog defensive line concentrating on Brown and Estes, it was back- to-back quarterback keepers that carried the birds into the end zone with 5:13 left in the third. Barajas split the uprights once again and the Cardinals were up 35-7.

WP's Jacob Cantuna kept the intensity thriving on the field with a leveling kickoff return tackle and the Bulldogs began their next drive on their 19-yard line.

The Cardinals continued to give up nothing to the Bulldog offense and they were once again forced to punt from their 16-yard line.

The Cardinals finished off their Bulldog beating with an 8-yard touchdown reception to Riley Stevens with 34.9 seconds left in the third.

"They were really coming at us," said WP lineman Greg Stearns. "Overall I think we just hit harder. I've never been more nervous for a game. I'm just really glad we won."

The Bulldogs managed to put some offense together with an 86-yard offensive drive, but failed the 2-point conversion, giving the WP boys of fall a 42-13 Bulldog slaughter and a first time 2B state final appearance.

"We won this for a lot of people," said WP head coach Jeff Bartlow. "For the guys from the last two years teams and for all of the community and anyone who has ever graduated from Waitsburg, Prescott and Jubilee."

"Colfax has always been the toughest team to prepare for," said Bartlow. "TJ Scott called a great offensive game."

The Cardinals racked up 210 yards rushing with Bartlow leading the way with 139 yards on 15 carries.The 1,000 yard club member Brown was held to just 66 yards on 16 carries.

Dalton Estes had six receptions for 115 yards, followed by Acevedo's four receptions for 74 yards. Overall the Cards totaled 450 yards of offense to Colfax's 277 yards.

"They (Colfax) were moving the ball, but just couldn't capitalize," said Bartlow. "Their coaching staff does an amazing job."

The Cardinals will face Morton-White Pass next Saturday at 4 p.m. in the Tacoma Dome.

The WP Cardinals have worked hard this season on the road to the dome and look forward to seeing all their fans as they fight to bring home the gold ball.