TRACY — Ripon’s first two possessions Friday night ended with a three-and-out and a lost fumble with host Tracy converting both into touchdowns.
The Division II Bulldogs never looked back in a 49-17 thumping of Division V Ripon in non-league action at Wayne Schneider Stadium.
“Tracy is a good football team,” Ripon coach Cole Williams said. “They brought it. We knew they were going to be good.
“For whatever reason, we did not play well in any phase of the game tonight. Nothing was in sync, nothing quite meshed out. When we would get a little something going, we would kill ourselves with a penalty or a fumble. We just couldn’t get out of our own way, it seems.”
Ripon’s best drive closed out the second quarter. Following a 4-yard touchdown run by David Grisham (15 carries, 131 yards, two touchdowns) to put Tracy (4-0) ahead 21-3, Ripon (2-2) took over on its 26-yard line with 3:25 left in the half.
Nine plays later Matthew Gaines (four receptions, 62 yards) pulled in an 8-yard pass from Jacoby Salinas (10 of 15 passing, 95 yards) with 15 seconds left in the half to draw within 21-10.
The Bulldogs slammed the door on any comeback when Jordan Alvarado returned the second half kickoff 85...