BRIDGEPORT, Texas — Ranchview used a punishing ground attack and timely defensive stops to secure a 40-14 victory over Bridgeport on Friday night at Bull Memorial Stadium.
Junior running back Logan Thomas (#9) capped Ranchview’s night with a 9-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter, stretching the lead to 40-7. The extra point was no good after a high snap, but the Wolves had already put the game out of reach.
Bridgeport fought back in the fourth, mounting a late drive capped by senior quarterback Dylan Hunter (#5) connecting with wide receiver Dane Handley (#12) for a 21-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
Despite the deficit, the Bulls showed fight. Junior running back Wyatt Norton (#23) churned out tough yards throughout the half. But Ranchview’s defense repeatedly turned the Bulls away on fourth down, including a key stop early in the third quarter when Hunter was sacked on 4th-and-6 deep in Wolves’ territory.
Ranchview quarterback Rushil Allada (#4) kept the offense balanced, spreading passes to Jaishawn Williams (#1) and other targets, though most of the second-half damage came on the ground.
The game ended with a brief flash of tension. With 15 seconds remaining and the score 40-14, Ranchview lined up in the victory formation to run out the clock. Bridgeport called its final timeout, forcing another snap. Ranchview converted on fourth down with a 20-yard run, then let the clock wind down to seal the victory while still holding three timeouts.
“We kept our composure and executed the way we needed to,” Ranchview coach Richard Leonard said. “Our kids are learning how to finish.” He added, “I was proud of our offensive line tonight. They created lanes all game long, and that let us control the pace. If we keep playing with that kind of discipline, we’ll be tough to deal with in district.”
Bridgeport coach Aaron Cupp acknowledged the struggles but found positives in his team’s resilience. “We’re not where we want to be, but the effort is there,” Cupp said. “We played a much better second half defensively, and we started to execute more cleanly on offense. The scoreboard doesn’t always show it, but these kids are making strides.”
Cupp also looked ahead to district play. “This group is close,” he said. “If we clean up turnovers and penalties, we’ll give ourselves a chance every week. We’ve got Millsap next, and I think this team is ready to turn a corner.”
Ranchview moves into district play against Alvarado next week with momentum and a .500 record. Bridgeport will open its district slate against Millsap still searching for consistency after a 1-4 non-district start.