By Joe Hadsall

jhadsall@joplinglobe.com

Carl Junction coach Bret Gosch likes the way his young team is developing and gaining confidence.

“We are losing that deer-in-the-headlights look,” Gosch said after the Bulldogs earned a dominating 47-7 win over Aurora Friday night at Bulldog Stadium. “We need to improve with our experience, and we’re getting better just from playing.”

Strong defense in the third quarter made the difference in the game. With a 19-7 lead at halftime, the Bulldogs pressured Aurora’s offense into short drives and turnovers, leading to 28 points.

Junior running back Zach Waranch ran for two touchdowns and 89 yards on 21 carries. Most of those carries were short-yardage pushes up the middle, Waranch said.

“It was all the offensive line,” Waranch said. “We work on that all through the week in practice, and they did well tonight.”

Junior quarterback Matt Thompson went 5-of-11 on passing attempts for 136 yards and three touchdowns; he also ran for a touchdown in the third quarter.

Carl Junction’s dominan third quarter started with a short field. A botched punt gave the Bulldogs the ball at the Aurora 14. Thompson scrambled for a touchdown four plays later.

Two plays later, junior Jansen Adams made his second interception of the night. He picked off a pass from Aurora quarterback Dakota Matter and ran 24 yards for a defensive touchdown.

The Houn’ Dawgs never made it past their own 37-yard line in the quarter. The Bulldogs took advantage of short fields with Thompson’s 37-yard touchdown pass to senior Joey Braeckel and a 4-yard scoring run by Waranch.

“Our defense is gaining confidence in itself and playing well,” Gosch said. “They allow us to do some things offensively, and gives us the freedom to change things up.”

The Bulldogs didn’t start as strongly as they finished.

The team missed a field goal and committed two turnovers in the first quarter; one of which led to the Aurora touchdown.

Thompson said the team’s lack of intensity was corrected at the half.