Stephen Young

PLAINVIEW - Dalhart looked to be in fine shape to cut into Sweetwater's lead in the second period of a Class 3A bi-district football game.

However, a fumble stymied that drive and the Golden Wolves went on to lose to Sweetwater, 30-0, on Friday night at Greg Sherwood Memorial Bulldog Stadium.

Dalhart finishes 6-5. Sweetwater is 9-2 and will face Midland Greenwood next week.

Sweetwater jumped out to a 14-0 lead on Dalhart, but the Golden Wolves looked to close on that deficit after Dalhart defensive end Adrian Ruiz recovered a Jeremy Barnes fumble at the Sweetwater 33. Four straight carries by Davonte Burks got Dalhart its initial first down at the 20. Four plays later, the Golden Wolves were facing another fourth-and-one at the Sweetwater 11.

Cesar Lujan got the call and quickly picked up the first down but fumbled, and Cameron Lawrence recovered at the Sweetwater 3-yard line.

"I'm not blaming anybody for that fumble," Dalhart coach Stephen Young said. "We were fighting to get into the end zone. They hit us where the ball was, and the ball didn't bounce our way."

The Mustangs quickly added to their lead in the second half, and allowed Dalhart just two first downs and 39 total yards during the final 24 minutes.

"I give Sweetwater all the credit in the world," Young said. "What they do, they do very well. They kept pounding the ball at us and pounding the ball at us. And we started to wear down."

Sweetwater running back Daniel Jackson was the biggest thorn in Dalhart's side, as he scored of runs of 31 and 4 yards, and caught a 10-yard pass from Barnes.

Running back Rufus McCann scored the other touchdown on a 13-yard run.

"It was a very good season," Young said. "It was the third year in a row we went to the playoffs. If you don't win state, you finish on a sour note.''

Dalhart 0 0 0 0 - 0
Sweetwater 14 13 0 3 - 30

S - Daniel Jackson 31 run (Cameron Studdard kick)

S - Jackson 4 run (Studdard kick)

S - Rufus McCann 13 run (Studdard kick)

S - Jackson 10 pass from Jeremy Barnes (kick failed)

S - Studdard 33 FG

Dalhart Sweetwater
First Downs 4 20
Rushing Yards 102 296
Passing Yards 9 39
Total Yards 111 335
Comp-Att-INT 1-6-2 3-4-1
Punts-Avg. 5-25 0-0
Fumbles-Lost 4-3 2-0
Penalties-Yards 2-20 4-3