The Morton Indians fell to 0-5 on the season, losing 38-20 versus Bovina.
The Indians briefly answered Bovina opening touchdown by tying the score 8-8 on a twopoint conversion run. Bovina responded with three unanswered touchdowns to separate 30-8 in the second quarter.
Bovina found success with an offensive balanced attack, finishing with 260 yards. The Mustangs passed for 144 yards while running for 116 yards, adding three touchdowns from the ground.
“We collapsed on ourselves a little bit. We allowed one thing in the game to dictate the next couple of plays,” Morton’s head coach Trevor Bulmer said about an unsportmanlike conduct penalty call derailed the Indians’ momentum in the second quarter.
Morton finished with 157 total yards, including 91 rushing yards and 66 passing yards. Converting one of two fourth downs, the Indians did have opportunities to keep the game within reach, but Bovina defense came up with two interceptions, one of them being returned for a touchdown.
Scoring two touchdowns in the third quarter, Morton had a spark entering the fourth quarter but, Bonvina’s defense continued to show up and held the Indians scoreless in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
Wrapping up their non-district play, Morton will head into a bye week before starting their first district game versus Seagraves. Starting district games, coach Bulmer is relaying the urgency in district play.
“Now we’re in the real part of the season, these games count, you have to win them, ” Bulmer said. “Its not just about are we getting better every week, now its like are we getting good enough to see the results we need to see.”
Heading into district play, the Indians have learned a lot through their early losses. Being able to display toughness and understand their personnel strengths, the Indians remain confident.
“We established an offensive identity,” Bulmer said. “We got more kids up front that help us go block people, then we have a ton of kids who are going to run vertical routes down the field.”