Bastrop Tribe cruises past McDade in county showdown

A near completion for McDade on a deep pass instead resulted in an interception by Bastrop Tribe’s Josh McCalister, who then returned it 60 yards for a touchdown and their lead was 22-0.

​A dominant first quarter performance by the Bastrop Tribe Warriors propelled them to a 60-8 victory over the McDade Bulldogs last Thursday. The Warriors improved to 6-0 on the season and the Bulldogs fell to 2-4.

​Elijah Rendon kicked things off for the Warriors with an opening drive touchdown, and McCalister added another touchdown before his pick-six.

​Against a Bastrop Tribe team who has been one of the best six-man programs in Texas in recent memory, it would have been easy for McDade to fold; but they battled every step of the way and made their community proud with the way they fought.

​Down 32-0 early in the second quarter, McDade’s senior running back, Xavier Candanoza, made a highlight reel play when he zipped past the Warriors’ defense for a 65 yard touchdown run. Soon after, McDade’s Daniel Alejo recovered a fumble, firing up the home crowd in attendance.

​The Warriors squashed McDade’s momentum when Elijah Rendon exploded through the Bulldogs’ defense for a long touchdown run, showcasing some impressive speed along the way.

​A successful field goal attempt by Matthew McKnabb extended the Warriors lead to 44-8 with only a few minutes left in the second quarter. They kept their foots on the gas pedal though as Chandler Golemon connected with Mikey Bowlin for a 25 yard touchdown grab. Josh McCalister snagged himself another interception returned for a touchdown just before halftime and the score was 60-8.

​With the game being out of reach, the halftime score was announced as the final. Both teams showed tremendous sportsmanship by gathering together at midfield for a group prayer.

​The Tribe Warriors were powered by a potent rushing attack, racking up 161 yards in the ground game and averaging over 10 yards per carry. McCalister led the way with 85 yards and a touchdown. Chuy Gonzales made his presence felt on the defensive side of the ball with eight tackles, two of them being for a loss of yards.

​Bastrop Tribe has an away matchup against St. Stephens this Thursday, and McDade will face off against Nueces Canyon on their home field. Both games start at 7:30 p.m.