Alvord running back Zane Fuentes charges downfield in the first quarter of the Bulldogs’ 49-42 District 6-2A home win over Tom Bean Friday. Fuentes finished with 336 yards and five touchdowns on 43 carries, including the go-ahead score with 11 seconds left in the game. MICAH MCCARTNEY | WCMESSENGER

Facing 4th and 1 on the Tom Bean 20-yard line with 1 minute left of the clock, Alvord senior running back Zane Fuentes stood in the backfield exhausted but ready to run again.

As he took the handoff from senior quarterback Dalton George, Fuentes — an Army commit — raced his way through the Tomcats’ defense for an 11-yard gain, giving the Bulldogs new life and a fresh set of downs at the Tom Bean 9-yard line. However, a fumble on the next play set Alvord back 16 yards to the 25. 

Then, on 2nd and 19, Fuentes answered the call again — this time for a 22-yard gain down to the Tomcats’ 3-yard line. One snap later with 11 seconds left, Fuentes stumbled his way across the goal line for his fifth touchdown run of the game, helping Alvord (5-2, 3-0) to seal a 49-42 Week 7 win at Bulldog Stadium. 

Alvord senior running back Zane Fuentes celebrates with senior lineman Kasyn Davis after a third-quarter touchdown run in the Bulldogs’ 49-42 District 6-2AI victory over Tom Bean Friday at Bulldog Stadium. MICAH MCCARTNEY | WCMESSENGER

At the final buzzer, Fuentes’ tiredness turned into celebration as he joined the Bulldogs in rushing the field after racking up 336 of the Bulldogs’ 389 rushing yards on 43 carries. 

“The stats are awesome, but the guys on the offensive line really deserve all of the credit,” Fuentes said. “They stuck their noses in it all four quarters, they believed in me and they got the blocks that we needed. At the end of the day, Bulldogs win. This wasn’t just a 1-man show — it was very much a team effort to get the win tonight. We had two tough losses earlier in the year — Lindsay (21-9) and Windthorst (42-23), and I think those really have made us battle-tested for our district.”  

Bulldog coach Matt Fanning said he wasn’t surprised Fuentes stepped up in the clutch to lead the Bulldogs to the win.

“Zane’s a phenomenal leader, and our plan all week long was to saddle him up and ride him all game long,” Fanning said. “In this type of game, he’s our best option to move the ball. In situations, we had to call on him all night long, and he definitely answered. We know we’re good up front, and our O-line played big and nasty tonight. Zane showed a lot of leadership, toughness and resilience, and that’s why he’s going to West Point.”

Alvord running back Kamper Barnes runs the ball in the Bulldogs’ Week 7 win over Tom Bean Friday at home. Barnes scored on a 3-yard touchdown run, and finished with 19 yards on six carries. MICAH MCCARTNEY | WCMESSENGER

Alvord started the game with a 14-7 lead following rushing scores by Fuentes (10) and junior running back Kamper Barnes (3). Fuentes reeled off two more touchdown runs in the second quarter measuring 48 and 3 yards to put the Bulldogs on top of the Tomcats at halftime, 28-21. 

In the second half, the Bulldogs’ early lead dissipated. Although Fuentes notched his fourth score of the night on a 1-yard tote, a 65-yard fumble return by Tom Bean’s Dallas Peavey and a 23-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Donnie Hooten to wide receiver Brayden Bomar knotted the score at 35 with 12 minutes remaining. 

After a 30-yard touchdown throw from George to senior wide receiver Brayden Clark was called back due to a penalty, Alvord regained the lead on the next play thanks to George’s 40-yard bomb to senior wide receiver Brayden Clark. However, the lead was short-lived, as Tom Bean running back Slayton Farris bounced into the end zone on a 2-yard carry, setting up Fuentes’ final score on the Bulldogs’ final offensive possession. 

Alvord quarterback Dalton George completed seven of his nine passing attempts for 111 yards and one touchdown, as the Bulldogs defeated Tom Bean in Week 7 at home, 49-42. MICAH MCCARTNEY | WCMESSENGER

“We talk all the time about how no matter what happens, we’re going to play hard, and we’re going to play harder than our opponent,” Fanning said. “Tom Bean is an extremely good football team, and they’re very well-coached. Our kids just did what we asked them to do — to fight for four quarters and play as hard as they could both mentally and physically, and they did that tonight. I’m just super proud of this team right now.”

George completed seven of his nine passing attempts for 111 yards and one touchdown. His top target was senior wide receiver Jeremy Watson, snagging four catches for 64 yards. 

For Tom Bean, Hooten threw for 381 yards and two touchdowns on 29-of-32 passing, and led the team in rushing with 32 yards and one score on five carries. Bomar was the top Tomcat receiver, amassing 212 yards and one touchdown on 12 catches. 

Alvord junior wide receiver Rhett Ritchey is taken down by Tom Bean defensive back Dyson Farris after making a catch near the end zone in the fourth quarter of the Bulldogs’ 49-42 Week 7 win Friday. MICAH MCCARTNEY | WCMESSENGER

The Bulldogs continue 6-2AI action by hitting the road to face Whitewright in Week 8 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17 at Tiger Stadium. 

Whitewright (2-3) is 0-2 in league play after consecutive losses to Tom Bean (69-6) and Tioga (73-6).

Last season, Alvord defeated Whitesboro 24-13 at home. 

“We think Whitewright is a really good program, and they’re going to be physical,” Fanning said. “We’ve just got to keep playing our brand of football. We’re looking forward to the challenge.”

Alvord sophomore defensive lineman Jaxan Simmons pursues Tom Bean quarterback Donnie Hooten during the first half of the Bulldogs’ 49-42 District 6-2A Division I home win Friday. MICAH MCCARTNEY | WCMESSENGER

Key takeaways

Fuentes’ abilities elevate him to another level

With the ability to find an open hole and capitalize with his speed, Fuentes shredded holes in the Tomcats’ defense all night long. In total, Fuentes was responsible for 54.4 percent (43 of 79) of the Bulldogs’ offensive plays in the win. 

Bulldogs off to hot start in league play

The Bulldogs have racked up three straight 6-2AI wins — Nocona (62-6), Trenton (49-0) and Tom Bean (49-42). Alvord will look to carry the momentum from its 3-game win streak into the remainder of its district schedule, with contests against favorites Tioga (Oct. 24) and Wolfe City (Nov. 7) scheduled in the final three weeks of the season. 

Fanning likes his team’s chances to fight for one of the league’s top playoff spots.

“We’re going to take it one game at a time, but I think our ceiling is however far we want to go,” he said. “If our kids keep playing hard and we’re fortunate enough to stay healthy, I think we’ll be able to go a long ways.”

Fanning building something special with the Bulldogs

Moving into the head coaching job at Alvord after one season on staff at Hardin-Simmons University, Bulldog coach Matt Fanning — who coached Jim Ned to the 3A Division I title in 2020 — has seemingly turned the Bulldogs around in the first seven weeks of the 2025 campaign. With three league matchups left, Alvord controls its destiny — one win for third place, two wins for second place and a clean sweep for the district title. 

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