Bulldogs Run to Victory Over Sweetwater... Ladies Lose Late
On December 8, 2025, the Sweetwater Wildcats were on their way to Morgan County to face off against the Wartburg Bulldogs. What would the find? A Lady Bulldogs team that, while short-staffed, is definitely proving to be no pushover. As for the Boys team - they were coming off of an ugly win over neighboring Oakdale where the Bulldogs came in on cruise control against an Eagles team that was ready for war. Would the short-staffed girls find a way to win? Would the boys still be on cruise control? Let's check the re-cap:
There was originally a JV boys game scheduled that was scrapped at the last minute - so the Lady Bulldogs were up first. Coming off a game where they shocked the Oakdale girls by giving them a serious run for their money - Coach Jen Hendricks and her "Six-Pack" of players rolled into this home game ready to keep the mojo flowing. And boy did they come out swinging! They led the game for 3 quarters - but they lost their grip on it in the final quarter - outscored 19-5. With only 6 healthy players - the fourth quarter is always going to be a struggle for our girls. They play with heart and determination - but they never really get a rest. In a second straight game, the girls were very competitive - but the 4th quarter fatigue got the best of them. The final score doesn't reflect just how competitive this one was. Sweetwater won 50-39 and the Lady Bulldogs drop to 1-4 on the season.
Up next were the Bulldogs against the Boys Varsity of Sweetwater. Sweetwater has experienced some internal conflict leading to most of the upper classmen stepping away from basketball. With a very young team, the Wildcats knew they would have their hands full with the surging Bulldogs. After looking a little less than inspired at Oakdale, the Bulldogs looked reinvigorated against the Wildcats. They were much sharper and quicker - and several players hit season highs for the squad. The final on this one was 65-45 - and things are looking bright for the 4-1 Bulldogs.
Below are a few thoughts meant to encourage some of our young athletes that went above and beyond against Sweetwater:
There was originally a JV boys game scheduled that was scrapped at the last minute - so the Lady Bulldogs were up first. Coming off a game where they shocked the Oakdale girls by giving them a serious run for their money - Coach Jen Hendricks and her "Six-Pack" of players rolled into this home game ready to keep the mojo flowing. And boy did they come out swinging! They led the game for 3 quarters - but they lost their grip on it in the final quarter - outscored 19-5. With only 6 healthy players - the fourth quarter is always going to be a struggle for our girls. They play with heart and determination - but they never really get a rest. In a second straight game, the girls were very competitive - but the 4th quarter fatigue got the best of them. The final score doesn't reflect just how competitive this one was. Sweetwater won 50-39 and the Lady Bulldogs drop to 1-4 on the season.
Up next were the Bulldogs against the Boys Varsity of Sweetwater. Sweetwater has experienced some internal conflict leading to most of the upper classmen stepping away from basketball. With a very young team, the Wildcats knew they would have their hands full with the surging Bulldogs. After looking a little less than inspired at Oakdale, the Bulldogs looked reinvigorated against the Wildcats. They were much sharper and quicker - and several players hit season highs for the squad. The final on this one was 65-45 - and things are looking bright for the 4-1 Bulldogs.
Below are a few thoughts meant to encourage some of our young athletes that went above and beyond against Sweetwater:
The Bridge on Defense
One of the Lady Bulldogs that may not get talked about enough is the gritty defender London Wright. She is fierce and feisty with a never-quit motor. She constantly disrupts what the other team tries to accomplish by fearlessly inserting herself into their schemes with quick feet and quick hands. In this contest, Wright was the top rebounder for the Bulldogs with 10 - and she added a steal to that as well. London is now getting slapped with the predictable "The Bridge" nickname... partly for her name - but also partly because she is the Bridge that the other team has to cross to get a decent shot off. No greater joy was seen than when Wright finally had a shot fall after several solid attempts. She turned, smiled wide, and pumped a victorious hand in the air! Sometimes, it's nice to just get one to fall on a tough day!
Fire the LASER!!!
Another Lady Bulldog hasn't gotten much coverage has been Lila Frasier. One of only 2 healthy sophomores on the team, Frasier has been adjusting to this sudden surge of playing time for the High School Varsity - and the game appears to be slowing down for her. Coming into the game against Sweetwater with 5 points on the season - Frasier more than doubled that total by adding 6 points with 2 very timely 3-pointers with only 3 attempts... That's an amazing 67% shooting from deep! When the Lady Bulldogs need a boost... FIRE THE LASER! Lila "The Laser" Frasier is coming into her own!
Season Highs All Around
The boys played a great game, and there were 4 players that beat or tied their season-high... Let's take note - and vote on a new nickname for one of them...
1. Paxton "Hair Jordan" Quinney: The team's leading scorer for the season and a constant threat for easy buckets, Paxton Quinney was ON against Sweetwater. He already had a 24-point game against Eagleton - but topped that by 1 against Sweetwater dropping an impressive 25. He ALMOST got that elusive first in-game dunk as well... Once we break the seal and get that first one out of the way - the pressure will be off and it will be business as usual. .
2. Evan Crouch: I want so badly to call him "Crouch Potato" - but he is anything but lazy... Crouch is a steady presence that never loses his cool on the floor. A point guard in the truest sense, Crouch scores every game, but not gaudy scoring numbers. He is a major presence in getting the ball down the court and moving it around to find the right opportunity for the team. If I had advanced stats - I'm sure the assist numbers would be off the charts... Crouch dropped 4 points - which ties for his season-high - but there are much bigger games coming... maybe as early as tonight...
3. Noah "Psych" Ward: The rugged sophomore is finding his feet and physicality down low as a reserve behind Daniel Bunch. He showed in this one that he also has a soft touch from range as he dropped a pretty 3 in the first half and then got some good looks driving violently to the basket in clean-up duty at the end. Ward ended this one with 5 points - a season-high for him.
4. Jackson Seay: Making the jump from Middle School to High School is very difficult. The speed is like putting a video on fast forward and trying to live in it. This game saw Seay get his first meaningful varsity minutes - and he did not disappoint with his opportunity... After scoring a 3 in the waning minutes of our blowout loss against Cumberland County in the first game of the season, Seay hasn't seen the court much. He got meaningful time in this one and responded with 7 points! Bright things are ahead for the youngster.
1. Paxton "Hair Jordan" Quinney: The team's leading scorer for the season and a constant threat for easy buckets, Paxton Quinney was ON against Sweetwater. He already had a 24-point game against Eagleton - but topped that by 1 against Sweetwater dropping an impressive 25. He ALMOST got that elusive first in-game dunk as well... Once we break the seal and get that first one out of the way - the pressure will be off and it will be business as usual. .
2. Evan Crouch: I want so badly to call him "Crouch Potato" - but he is anything but lazy... Crouch is a steady presence that never loses his cool on the floor. A point guard in the truest sense, Crouch scores every game, but not gaudy scoring numbers. He is a major presence in getting the ball down the court and moving it around to find the right opportunity for the team. If I had advanced stats - I'm sure the assist numbers would be off the charts... Crouch dropped 4 points - which ties for his season-high - but there are much bigger games coming... maybe as early as tonight...
3. Noah "Psych" Ward: The rugged sophomore is finding his feet and physicality down low as a reserve behind Daniel Bunch. He showed in this one that he also has a soft touch from range as he dropped a pretty 3 in the first half and then got some good looks driving violently to the basket in clean-up duty at the end. Ward ended this one with 5 points - a season-high for him.
4. Jackson Seay: Making the jump from Middle School to High School is very difficult. The speed is like putting a video on fast forward and trying to live in it. This game saw Seay get his first meaningful varsity minutes - and he did not disappoint with his opportunity... After scoring a 3 in the waning minutes of our blowout loss against Cumberland County in the first game of the season, Seay hasn't seen the court much. He got meaningful time in this one and responded with 7 points! Bright things are ahead for the youngster.
Nickname Time - Jack Seay!
It's all in good fun... really... but when you get a shout out - you need some kind of silly nickname. It's a right of passage really. And it appears that freshman standout Jack Seay is gonna be getting a few shoutouts this season as a solid contributor. When I hear the name Jack Seay (pronounced Sea)... I think of Captain Jack Sparrow of Pirates of the Caribbean because of: 1) The name Jack, and 2) The Sea (where Jack Sparrow sails)... But none of the names that I think of really feel right. I'm a man of the people - so I'm gonna ask you to give me some feedback. Vote for your favorite - and let me know what to call the young Seay...
Tonight gave us a reminder... Stay Hungry! We travel to Midway on Tuesday... Time to tackle the Green Wave!
Go Dogs!
