2006 - 2007 Dawson "Lady Dawgs" Varsity Volleyball Team

RESULTS

Dawson credits crowd with win on the road

WORTHAM — On the road, trailing one of its biggest rivals, Dawson’s volleyball team turned to the crowd.

Not the raucous Wortham crowd which was chanting, heckling and cheering wildly all night, but the legion of roughly 40 devoted Dawson fans that made the 22-mile trek to give the Lady Bulldogs a little road-court advantage. Though they were one-third the amount of Wortham’s fans, the Dawson following cheered as loud, fueling Dawson to a comeback victory, 3-2 (25-22, 17-25, 13-25, 25-22, 15-10).

“The crowd really picked us up,” Dawson’s Andi Patrick said. “I love it when they get into it.”

Both team’s fans were into the game, adding emotion to a District 16-1A rivalry game which needed little.

Down 2-1 in the match, Dawson rallied from a 21-14 deficit to win game four, sending each team’s fans into frenzy.

In an emotional fifth set, Wortham chanted “Whose house? Our house,” as Dawson countered with “DHS,” as both fans tried desperately to cheer on their respective Lady Bulldogs. Dawson’s players credited their crowd with helping them to an early lead — something Dawson had not done in the previous four games.

“It just gives us an extra boost, when somebody else believes in you,” Patrick said.

The faith of the Dawson fans was tested as the Lady Bulldogs played from behind most of the match.

Wortham took big leads in the first (7-0), second (9-3), third (9-2) and fourth (21-14) games.

“We tried not to be (down), but we were a little bit,” Chasity Warren said. “The crowd really pushed us.”

If Dawson ever proved it had comeback in them it was in the first set. The Lady Bulldogs trailed 18-10, only to fight back to win.

But following the come-from-behind win, Dawson struggled. Wortham’s crowd seemed to magnify Dawson’s mistakes in the first three games and both teams exhausted their allotted timeouts in each game in an attempt to keep their players under control.

Dawson also seemed to have no answer for Wortham’s Sarah Owens who had 17 kills in the first four games.

In game three, Wortham looked like they were headed to victory after Lady Bulldogs setter Kali Warren dove to keep a deflected ball alive, the result of which was a Wortham point.

Warren’s play made the Wortham fans erupt from their seats and the Lady Bulldogs scored eight straight points to help them close out game three.

“They got really excited,” said Kali Warren of her play. “I think they knew it was an important game for us.”

Wortham had moved to third place in districts prior to Tuesday’s match. Undefeated in district play, Dawson was looking for another win to improve its chances of making the playoffs for the first time in program history. Add animosity between the teams and it’s easy to see why the atmosphere in Wortham’s gymnasium was so electric.

“We just don’t like losing to Dawson,” Warren said. “They’re just one of our biggest rivals. We really don’t like ‘em.”

With so much on the line, Dawson coach Kevin Zuehlke had to control his team’s emotions, which proved more and more difficult as the Lady Bulldogs fell further behind.

“I think probably about halfway through game two and through game three, I could start seeing us panic a little bit,” Zuehlke said. “We haven’t been in this situation in a long time, especially with something riding on it.”

Dawson has now beat the No. 2 (Coolidge) and No. 3 (Wharton) teams in the District 16-1A standings. But in lieu of thanking his players on one of the biggest comebacks and biggest wins of the season, Zuehlke complimented the seventh man.

“I give our crowd all the credit,” Zuehlke said. “They really picked us and in game five, they pulled us through.”

 

 

 

August 19	Oakwood	Home	N/A
August 24	Granger/Cayuga	Home	N/A
September 1	Bosqueville	Home	Lost
September 8	Meridian	Away	Lost
September 15	Bruceville-Eddy**	Here	Lost
September 22	Open	N/A	N/A
September 29	Axtell*	Home	Lost
October 6	Normangee*	Away	Lost
October 13	Wortham*	Home	Lost
October 20	Hubbard*	Away	7:30 P.M.
October 27	Bremond*	Home	7:30 P.M.
November 3	Chilton***	Home	7:30 P.M.
November 10	Iola*	Away	7:30 P.M.

Season record is 0-6. District record is 0-3.

Last Weeks Game Information

Dawson WR Nesmith released from hospital

Dylan Nesmith, the Dawson wide receiver who had to be taken to the hospital Friday night, was discharged early Saturday morning.

Nesmith said he is “doing all right” after a hit late in the Bulldogs game against Wortham forced him to be taken by helicopter to Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center in Waco.

The game was called after Nesmith’s injury with Wortham leading 47-26.

According to Nesmith, he tore a muscle in his back and suffered a deep bone bruise.

Doctors informed Nesmith he would be out for at least two weeks.

Nesmith, a junior, has nine catches for 171 yards this season and is Dawson’s leading receiver.

 

Wortham wins on road

Game called early due to player injury

By James Ratliff

DAWSON – It was a solemn Friday night at Ed Mitchell Field as the Wortham Bulldogs defeated the Dawson Bulldogs, 47-26 in a game that was called with 1:19 left on the clock.

The final play of the game took place after Dawson (0-6, 0-3) recovered its second onside kick of the evening. Sophomore quarterback Zack Edwards lofted a pass in the direction of junior wide receiver Dylan Nesmith, who had the ball wrestled away by Wortham (2-4, 1-2) defensive back Eric Brooks. After the referee’s whistle blew, Nesmith lay on the sideline with an apparent back injury. He was taken to the hospital by helicopter about 30 minutes later.

Nesmith’s wasn’t the only serious injury of the night. Dawson offensive lineman Jordan Young suffered a game-ending ankle injury on an extra point attempt after his team’s first touchdown of the game with 5:57 left in the opening period. With 7:28 on the clock in the third quarter, Wortham defensive end Drake Pendergrass went down with a knee injury.

Wortham’s victory charge was led by junior running back Nathan Burks, who finished the evening with 152 rushing yards. Burks scored six of the visiting Bulldogs’ seven touchdowns with five on the ground and one on a 57-yard interception return with 3:32 left to play.

“Nathan’s (Burks) had a pulled groin for about the past month,” Wortham coach John Paul Gillen said. “he’s been off of it all week in practice, but it’s felt as good as it could and he went out tonight and it showed.”

While both teams struggled with turnovers, Dawson was plagued by fumbles at key times in the first half. Before intermission, the home team’s offense had the possession of the ball for only four minutes and thirteen seconds.

“We knew they’ve been doing things pretty good, and that we had to play good and we couldn’t make any mistakes,” said Dawson coach Johnnie Richey. “what mistakes we made early hurt us and they put some points on the board and we just didn’t start playing hard until the second quarter.”

Dawson found itself down 40-6 late in the third quarter before a play that contained two fumbles brought it six points closer. Facing first down and ten on its own nine yard line, Wortham running back Cameron Price took a handoff, but had the ball stripped. Dawson’s Carson Nesmith was there to scoop up the ball but fumbled to teammate Bubba Medrano, who fell into the end zone to send the score to 40-12 with 2:32 left the third.

The host Bulldogs began to mount a comeback, but it would be too little, too late. Edwards found Carson Nesmith twice in the fourth quarter, once from eight yards and once from ten yards out. Edwards finished the night with 167 yards through the air with two interceptions.

Wortham quarterback Cord Samuels completed only three passes on the night, but it would be enough as the running game carried the load. Wortham wide receiver Colt Sutton threw a couple of passes of his own in the contest, connecting on a 49-yard reverse pass to Deandre Thomas, who finished the night with three catches for 68 yards.

“I thought we came out in the first quarter and established the running game, which is what we need to do to be successful,” said Gillen. “it was nice for a change to go out and establish the running game and be able to move the ball offensively.”

 

High School Website for Band - http://www.dawsonhs.org/Band/bandpage.htm

2006 - 2007 Dawson Cheerleaders

Mandi Keith, Adrienne Murray, Austin McCormick, Lacey Ivie, Courtney Smith, Brianna Cantu, Chasity Warren, Rachel Ivie, Reagan Woodall, Taylor Medrano, Kellie DeRojas
Mascot - Morgan McCrory

Sponsor: Mrs. Kristie Melton

 

2006 - 2007 Dawson All-Star Drill Team

Sponsor: Kathy Golden    Assistant Sponsor:  Katie Golden    Assistants: Mrs. Phillips

Captain: Amy Rouse      Lieutenants: Summer Rodriguez and Janeth Martinez