Surging Green Wave too much for Portageville

PORTAGEVILLE -- The Portageville Bulldogs turned out to be the next victim of the surging Malden Green Wave Friday night as Green Wave quarterback Tanner Murphy helped surpass the Bulldogs, 26-8.

Murphy and the Green Wave stormed out of the gate with two quick touchdowns in the first five minutes of play.

Murphy's first touchdown pass was a 59-yarder to a wide open Quentin Jackson on a third-and-12 situation after just 1:27 had ticked off the clock.

After Portageville's first possession ended with a punt, Jackson turned on his burners again on the punt return and was finally brought down at Portageville's 11-yard line where Murphy found Jackson again for Malden's second touchdown.

With 7:23 left in the first quarter, Portageville found themselves in an early hole, 13-0.

Although quickly down by two scores, the Bulldogs (2-2) drove the field in three minutes time to push through for their only score of the night. A 2-yard run by Fred Treadwell cut the Green Wave lead to 13-8 after back-up quarterback Mason Kellams found Treadwell for the 2-point conversion.

The score would remain the same until the third quarter when a Portageville fumble was immediately capitalized on with Murphy's third touchdown pass of the night to Jordan McMunn from 15-yards out.

Malden (3-1) closed the book on the Bulldogs later in the quarter when Ray Wilson took to the end zone on a 39-yard touchdown run.

Murphy ended the game 10-of-19 passing with 149 yards and three touchdowns.

Treadwell led the Bulldogs attack with 142 yards on 21 carries. Portageville quarterback Caden Robbins ended his night on 7-of-14 passing for 25 yards.