Saturday, November 5, 2016 - 10:53am By Ed Martin, Editor
Lemoore's defense played well Friday night, but the offense couldn't get untracked against Hanford.
Lemoore's defense played well Friday night, but the offense couldn't get untracked against Hanford.
Photo by Bill Burris, Lemooresports.com

Friday night’s football game against Hanford was sort of emblematic of the way Lemoore’s season has gone this year. The game fell apart for the Tigers early Friday night in Tiger Stadium for Lemoore’s football team as two years of unqualified success – three West Yosemite League titles, the last two years winning the coveted Milk Can Trophy – but now is simply a valued part of the past as the Tigers failed to make the playoffs, losing to Hanford in Tiger Stadium 27-0.

Tigers season ends on sad note as Bullpups take Milk Can 27-0 in Tiger Stadium

Lemoore fell to (2-8, 2-4) and will not participate in the Division II Central Section playoffs. Over the previous four years the Tigers went 35-13 with three WYL championships. Almost a year ago the Tigers crushed an unbeaten Hanford squad in the league finale and then lost to Ridgeview in the Division II Central Section playoffs.

Final Standings

Hanford, it’s only blemish, a 42-7 loss to the Tigers, went on to win the Central Section Division II title and a state championship in 2015.

Lemoore's offense slowed down in Friday night's game against Hanford. The Bullpups won the coveted Milk Can Trophy for the first time in three years.
Lemoore's offense slowed down in Friday night's game against Hanford. The Bullpups won the coveted Milk Can Trophy for the first time in three years.
Photo by Bill Burris, Lemooresports.com

The Bullpups, while not quite the team they were a year ago, finished at 4-2 in the demanding WYL and will begin play next week in the Division III Central Section playoffs.

Thanks to Friday night’s Milk Can win, Hanford improved to 38-32-2 over the Tigers in the long history of this rivalry.

It was all Hanford Friday night. Theron Dutra’s nine-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter to Mitchell Hunt gave the Bullpups a lead they weren’t about to relinquish. With about two minutes left in the first quarter, Leonard Glass scored on a two-yard touchdown run for a 14-0 lead.

Former Tiger and current Bullpup Jordan Perryman, who last year helped to defeat Hanford in the season finale, played a huge role in beating his former team this year, rushing for nearly 100 yards and scoring twice. He scored from five yards out in the second quarter and then, with 7:49 left in the fourth, scored on a 60-yard touchdown run.

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Penalties and turnovers hit the Tigers hard, including a second-quarter fumble that handed the ball over to Hanford at the Tigers 26-yard line to set up Perryman’s first TD.

Tigers season ends on sad note as Bullpups take Milk Can 27-0 in Tiger Stadium

The Tigers best shot at a score came early in the third period when they mounted a drive that started at their own 23-yard line. Lemoore’s Angel Solis turned in some impressive runs, including bruising runs up the middle that got the Tigers to the Hanford 38-yard line.

Lemoore’s Damion Charleston’s rushing efforts got the Tigers close, - to the 11-yard line before unfortunate penalties set them back. Solis banged his way to the goal line but another penalty pushed them back, and on a fourth down play, the Tigers turned the ball over.