Matt Vines

COUSHATTA – Despite not having won a game entering Friday’s contest with Green Oaks, Red River’s strength had been how its started games.

The Bulldogs took early leads in all three games this season, including a 12-0 lead on Class 5A Parkway.

But that narrative reversed against the undefeated Giants, who improved to 4-0 after they scored the game’s first 26 points in a 50-22 win over the Bulldogs (0-4).

Green Oaks quarterback Javontaye Dean continued his impressive season with touchdowns through the air and on the ground, including the game’s first score on a 50-yard streak down the sideline to Sheldrek Williams.

Red River had its opportunity to claw back when Brenton Winn forced a Dean fumble, and the Bulldogs returned it to near the Green Oaks 20-yard line.

But the Giants defense stood tall, tackling Red River quarterback Ashton Johnson on a fourth-down scramble to retake the momentum.

Green Oaks scored the next three touchdowns, including a broken play touchdown in which Dean scrambled for eons before finding a receiver who’d slipped past the secondary for a 66-yard strike.

Red River attempted to take momentum going into halftime as the Bulldogs scored on the half’s final play.

Johnson, who scrambled throughout the game as well, kept a play alive and lasered a 14-yard pass to Christopher Haskett in the front corner of the end zone as time expired to cut Green Oaks’ lead to 26-6.

What could have served as a jumping off point for a Red River comeback quickly faded after the teams traded scores to start the third quarter.

Backed up near their own end zone, Dean connected on a short slant to speedster Jamarcus Hooper, who blazed past Red River’s defense on a 92-yard touchdown and a 42-14 lead.

Big plays have been the calling card for Green Oaks this season, an area where Red River’s defense is seeking to improve through four games.

Red River’s 22 points scored is a season-high, but Friday’s game also represented the third time the Bulldogs have allowed 49 or more points in four games this season.

Red River will face another high-powered offense when they head to Logansport this coming week.

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