BAYTOWN — It was the Bryce McMorris and Kyndon Fuselier show Friday night as Nederland raced to an impressive 48-26 victory over Baytown Lee here at Stallworth Stadium.

The victory improves the Bulldogs to 3-1 in District 12-5A Division II play and to 3-4 on the season. Lee falls to 1-3 in league play and 4-3 on the year.

In the Dogs’ most impressive offensive performance of 2019, Monte Barrow’s club ran up 492 total yards and scored seven of nine total possessions in the contest.

Fuselier, the ultra-talented sophomore wide receiver, was incredible on this night with eight catches for 188 yards and touchdowns of 56 and 68 yards. He also had a 74-yard TD nullified by a Nederland clipping penalty.

McMorris, the district’s top ranked passer, also had a sensational night completing 17-of-23 passes for 320 yards and three scores. Junior Josh Mazyck also turned in a tremendous performance on the ground rushing for 161 yards 20 and scoring on touchdowns of 45 and 36 yards.

A pair of touchdown passes from McMorris in the final 5 minutes of the half staked the Bulldogs to a 28-7 lead at intermission.

Gander quarterback Ijenea Wooley’s 15-yard dash to paydirt had cut the Bulldog margin to 14-7 with just over 5 minutes left in the half.

But for the second straight week, McMorris and Co. scored touchdowns on last their two possessions of the half to break open a close contest.

This time the Bulldog senior quarterback dropped back to pass, was forced out of the pocket, looked downfield and hit Fuselier at the 15. The talented sophomore weaved his way to the end zone scoring from 56 yards out. Barrow’s PAT made it 21-7 with just over 4 minutes remaining in the opening half.

Once again, Nederland’s defense stepped to the plate and forced a big turnover on Baytown’s third play from scrimmage.

Defensive back Rene Cunningham, who’s making a habit of turning in big plays, intercepted Wooley at the Nederland 30.

Cunningham, again for the second straight week, came up with yet another big play for the Dogs in the final seconds of a half as he grabbed a McMorris 1-yard sprint out touchdown pass with only 0:05 left in the half.

Last week at Dayton, Cunningham also scored on a 20-yard TD strike from McMorris with 0:09 remaining the half to also provide Nederland a cushion at haltime.

The Bulldogs, in their finest half of football in 2019, ran up 318 yards total offense and scored on four-of-five first half possessions.

Taking a 14-0 lead early in the second, Fuselier raced 74 yards, breaking numerous tackles, on a pitch play from McMorris on the far sideline. Tip-toeing down the Nederland sideline, Fuselier then broke to the middle of the field and danced his way into the end zone.

Nederland, though, was called for a clip at the Lee 35 bringing the football back to the 45.

On the very next play, Mazyck went 45 yards through the middle of the Gander secondary to the end zone pushing the Bulldogs to a 14-0 second quarter lead early in the period.

McMorris had scored Nederland’s opening touchdown on a one-yard plunge just eight plays deep in the contest.

In the first half alone, McMorris complete 12-of-16 passes for 197 yards and a pair of touchdowns (with no interceptions).

Fuselier, who entered the contest as 12-5A’s No. 2 receiver with 457 yards, had a remarkable first half with five receptions totally 112 yards and a score. Add in the 35 extra yards he had on the apparent 74-yard score that was nullified by a clip, and Fuselier would have finished the half with 147 yards.

Offensive line play for the Dogs was outstanding in the opening half as Mazyck rambled for 96 yards on only 10 carries, while Kade Scott added 24 yards on a pair of runs.

THE GAME CHANGED WHEN …

Bulldog receiver Rene Cunningham, for the second straight week, caught a touchdown pass with 5 seconds left in the first half to provide Nederland impetus to head to halftime with a 28-7.

THE GAME BALL GOES TO …

Wide receiver Kyndon Fuselier, who had touchdown receptions of 56 and 68 yards and finished with eight catches for 188 yards.

UP NEXT …

The Bulldogs play host to Vidor on Friday, Oct. 25 for a 7:30 p.m. District 12-5A Division II ball game.

— By Larry Bodin, Special to The News

 

Bulldogs 48, Ganders 26

Nederland      7          21        7          13        –          48

Baytown Lee            0          7          13        6          —        26

 

First quarter

Nederland — Bryce McMorris 1 run (Payne Barrow kick), 8:49

Second quarter

Nederland — John Mazyck 45 run (Barrow kick), 9:14

Lee — Ijenea Wooley 15 run (Gilberto Nunez kick), 5:08

Nederland — Kyndon Fuselier 56 pass from Bryce McMorris (Barrow kick), 4:32

Nederland — Rene Cunningham 1 pass from McMorris (Barrow kick), 0:05

Third quarter

Lee — Elijah Partida 11 pass from Wooley (Nunez kick), 9:04

Nederland — Mazyck 36 run (Barrow kick), 6:32

Lee — Wooley 9 run (Run failed), 1:08

Fourth quarter

Lee — Partida 10 pass from Wooley (Kick fails), 8:05

Nederland — Fuselier 68 pass from McMorris (Barrow kick), 6:16

Nederland — Robert Mathes 5 run (Kick fails), 1:25

 

                                  Ned—Lee

First downs                 19—23

Rushes-yards             25-195—42-208

Passing yards             320—110

Total yards                  495—328

Comp-Att-Int              17-23-1—7-18-1

Fumbles-lost               0-0—21-1

Penalties-yards           6-55—4-31

 

Individual statistics

RUSHING — Nederland: John Mazyck 20-16, Kade Scott 2-24, Robert Mathes 2-5, Bryce McMorris 2-1. Lee: Ijenea Wooley 28-148, Ja’Kenan Davis 5-27, Jabier Quinones 8-30.

PASSING — Nederland: McMorris 17-23-1, 320. Lee: Ijenea Wooley 7-18-1, 110.

RECEIVING — Nederland: Kyndon Fuselier 8-188, Bryson Garrett 4-65, Rene Cunningham 1-1, Mazyck 2-20, Kamden Grant 1-23. Lee: Elijah Partida 4-52, Trudell Berry 1-11.