The Bowie Jackrabbits had their home opener on Friday against the Bridgeport Bulls in a game that featured a lot of big plays.
While both offenses started off the game with touchdowns on their first plays, it was the Bulls who kept that type of play up for the rest of the game while the Jackrabbits had spurts. Bridgeport won 54-19 as Bowie starts the season 0-2.
The Bulls got the ball first and scored on a 60-yard touchdown pass to their uncovered running back Bryant Reynolds down the left sideline. The Jackrabbits answered as quarterback Colby Miller kept the ball on a zone read and took it 79 yards for a touchdown. The missed extra point made it 7-6 Bridgeport after less than a minute of game action.
The Bulls scored on their next drive that was finished by Reynolds again, this time from a yard out, to make the score 14-6. Bowie turned the ball over on its next possession with an interception. Bridgeport then threw a 31-yard touchdown pass on its next play to make the score 21-6 only halfway through the first quarter.
After punting the ball away, the Jackrabbits defense got their first stop as cornerback Tru’Vion Sansom picked off a slant route at mid-field. While the offense could not capitalize, it motivated Bowie’s defense to play better for the rest of the half.
In the second quarter, the Jackrabbits defense did not give up any points and even forced a turnover on downs at its own 25-yard line at one point.
Bowie’s offense stalled at Bridgeport’s 21-yard line before throwing two more interceptions and fumbling the ball in the shadow of its own end zone which was recovered by the Bulls. The touchdown extended Bridgeport’s lead to 28-6 at halftime.
The third quarter saw both offenses struggle to make much happen for the first eight minutes. Bridgeport eventually capped a drive off with a 14-yard touchdown pass to make the score 34-6 after a missed extra point.
The score opened the floodgates as the Jackrabbits’ offense responded immediately as running back Ty Harris broke through to the second level broke through with a 33-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to 34-13.
The Bulls turned around as Reynolds got lose for a 63-yard touchdown run. The score was 41-13 heading into the fourth quarter.
The big plays kept coming for Bridgeport. A wide receiver screen went 63 yards for a touchdown to up the lead to 48-13. Bowie answered quickly as Harris again got lose, this time from 44 yards out to cut the lead to 48-19, but the Bulls offense would not let their foot off the gas.
A short two-yard touchdown pass would follow Bridgeport’s next drive to make the score 54-19. A final interception thrown would cap seal the game for the Bulls as the game ended.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.