Bulldogs turn turnovers into quick points in 49-14 win over Comets

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

HAMPTON — There’s a statistical term in football: Points off Turnovers.

During their 49-14 win over Charles City last Friday, the Hampton-Dumont-CAL Bulldogs capitalized with instant points off turnovers.

The Comets turned the ball over six times — five in the first half alone — which contributed to the Bulldogs taking an overwhelming 42-0 lead at intermission.

The game — which represented the start of the Class 3A-District 3 schedule for both teams — initially had the makings of a hard-fought defensive duel as the first 10 minutes went scoreless thanks in part to a fourth-and-2 stop by the Comets on their own 3-yard line.

But suddenly it became Who let the Bulldogs out?

Shortly after the deep Red Zone stop, Charles City was able to advance from the shadow of its own goal line before fumbling away the ball at its own 21. The Bulldogs immediately took advantage from that spot with senior quarterback Cal Heeren connecting with Tate Schmitt in the back of the end zone to open the scoring.

Heeren would connect with Schmitt again from 14 yards out to help make the score 28-0 after Charles City fumbled a kickoff that came after a 35-yard interception return TD from Gavin Meader off a tipped pass.

Including a 14-yard Heeren TD pass to Logan Pfeffer thanks to a turnover-granted short field shortly after the opening score, HDC managed to compile 28 points in a span of less than four-and-a-half clocked minutes.

Heeren, who connected with Marco Guerreor from 14-yards out to close out the half, completed 10 of 12 passing attempts for 155 yards and four TDs.

Heeren was eventually relieved by Will Sackville at the QB position. Not living up to his name, Sackville found an open lane down the left sideline during a keeper and outraced all defenders to the end zone for a 58-yard TD run that — with Tucker Heeren’s seventh converted PAT kick in as many attempts — capped the scoring with 2:32 left in regulation.

As they did in their previous two losses where they trailed big after 24 minutes, the Comets came out with a more competitive effort in the second half.

Comet sophomore Jordan Foster took the reins at quarterback midway through the second half and took advantage of the opportunity while completing 6 of 9 pass attempts for 89 yards and two scores. Foster’s first TD pass was to Ian Collins from 21 yards out early in the fourth quarter — Foster subsequently connected with Collins on the successful 2-point conversion pass.

Foster later connected with Trimel Christian crossing the goal line from 3 yards out for his latter TD pass.

Collins returned to the lineup after sitting out a game and a half due to an arm injury sustained against Mason City just before halftime two games before. Collins led the Comets in receiving (6 catches for 99 yards) and rushing (6 carries for 54 yards).

Another player returning to the lineup for Charles City after sitting out a game was junior Ethan Peterson, who led the Comet defense with seven solo tackles and two tackles for losses.

Senior Chase Crooks recorded Charles City’s lone quarterback sack, and junior Kayden Blunt was credited with four solo tackles for the Comets

Like the Comets, the Bulldogs won their first two games of the season before losing their next two as both teams went into Friday’s game with 2-2 records.

Charles City will host Center Point-Urbana (2-3) for its Homecoming Game next Friday (Oct. 1).

HAMPTON-DUMONT-CAL 49, CHARLES CITY 14

Scoring By Quarters

CHARLES CITY 0 0 0 14 — 14

HAM-DUMONT-CAL 14 28 0 7 — 49

Scoring Summary

HDC — Cal Heeren 21-yard pass to Tate Schmitt (Tucker Heeren kick) 1:52 1st, 7-0

HDC — Cal Heeren 14-yard pass to Logan Pfeffer (Tucker Heeren kick) :37 1st, 14-0

HDC — Gavin Meader 35-yard interception (Tucker Heeren kick) 11:52 2nd, 21-0

HDC — Cal Heeren 12-yard pass to Schmitt (Tucker Heeren kick) 9:39 2nd, 28-0

HDC — Pfeffer 1-yard run (Tucker Heeren kick) 3:59 2nd, 35-0

HDC — Cal Heeren 14-yard pass to Marco Guerrero (Tucker Heeren kick) :02 2nd, 42-0

CC — Jordan Foster 21-yard pass to Ian Collins (Foster pass to Collins) 11:54 4th, 42-8

CC — Foster 3-yard pass to Trimel Christian (Pass failed) 5:15 4th, 42-14

HDC — Will Sackville 58-yard run (Tucker Heeren kick) 2:32 4th, 49-14

RECORDS  — Hampton-Dumont-CAL 3-2, Charles City 2-3

PASSING — (Charles City) Jordan Foster 6-9 89 yards, 2 TDs; Calvin Hanson 6-15 82 yards, 4 INTs; (Hampton-Dumont-CAL) Cal Heeren 10-12 155 yards, 4 TDs.

RUSHING — (Charles City) Ian Collins 6-54; Nathan Lopez 1-2; (Hampton-Dumont-CAL) Will Sackville 5-60, TD; Gavin Meader 2-39; Logan Pfeffer 9-30, TD; Heeren 3-29; Marco Guerrero 7-18; Karter Janssen 5-15.

RECEIVING — (Charles City) Collins 6-99, TD; Trimel Christian 3-37, TD; Jalil Jones 1-20; Colton Crooks 1-11; Kayden Blunt 1-4; (Hampton-Dumont-CAL); Guerrero 3-67, TD; Tate Schmitt 3-50, 2 TDs; Pfeffer 1-14, TD; Scott Harr 1-14; Zayden Erdman 1-6; Meader 1-4.

DEFENSE — (Charles City) Ethan Peterson 7 solo tackles, 2 TFL; Blunt 4 solo tackles, 1 TFL; Chase Crooks 1 QB sack; Jones 3 solo tackles; (Hampton-Dumont-CAL) Meader 4 solo tackles; Pick-Six INT; Chase Spradlin 2 fumble recoveries, 1 TFL; Guerrero INT; Tony Valenzuela INT; Erdman INT.