The Rangers needed animal control in Stoney Creek Thursday as the Bulldogs came unleashed for a 61-12 nonconference win.

Hampton’s win comes after last week’s heartbreaking loss to South Greene, 36-30, in a key conference game.

“It was a game that we needed,” said Hampton head coach Michael Lunsford. “We have played a tough schedule all season. It is hard to play at the same level every week.”

Coming into last night’s game, the Bulldogs knew that the biggest threat Unaka posed was through the air. Hampton squashed that problem by keeping Rangers quarterback John Ramsey on the run, landing many sacks throughout the night.

“We played really well defensively,” said Lunsford. “Our guys played really well, and we got a lot of kids involved. We were able to put some heat on him (Ramsey).”

Hampton marched down the field during their first possession before Bulldogs Macon Barden ran in the first touchdown of the evening.

Unaka, however, answered on the following possession as Ramsey handed the ball off to Reid Taylor who then found Devon Jarrett on a 68-yard passing touchdown that evened the score at 6-6 early in the first quarter.

Hampton would put together a lengthy drive that ate up the clock before Barden found paydirt again on a 3-yard plunge. Hampton quarterback Alex Hardin found teammate Haden Birchfield on the 2-point conversion to give the Bulldogs a 14-6 lead with 23.3 seconds left in the first quarter.

After forcing Unaka to punt, Hampton’s Lane Potter sped to the end zone from 29 yards out to make it a 20-6 game early in the second quarter.

The Hampton defense came up big again making the Rangers go three and out before Bulldogs Matt Hughes scooped up a bad punt to set Hampton up deep inside Rangers territory. Two plays later, Macon was in the end zone again following a 1-yard carry. Hampton’s score moved to 28-6.

Potter scored on a 3-yard carry before Hampton’s Manpreet Kholi recovered a fumble in the end zone allowing the Bulldogs to move on ahead 42-6 following an extra-point kick from Michael Harrison late in the second quarter.

Hampton scored on last time in the first half as Hardin connected with Jonah Jones on a 46-yard TD pass. The Bulldogs led 48-6 heading into the half.

Early in the third, Hampton’s Preston Watson blocked a punt by Ramsey before scooping the ball up and taking the ball into the end zone on a short run making it 54-6.

Unaka put together a scoring drive in the third as Ramsey connected passes to Daniel Shearl and Jarrett, before running in a 1-yard TD to cut Hampton’s lead to 54-12 with 59 seconds left in the fourth.

The Bulldogs scored one last time in the fourth as Kholi ran in a 15 yarder before Harrison kicked through the kick.

Next week, the Bulldogs travel to Cosby to close out the regular season with a conference match. Unaka will be at Sunbright.