By Blaine Clamon
Monitor Correspondent

EUSTACE–Following a 54-8 rout of Kemp in week one, the Eustace Bulldogs hosted the Blooming Grove Lions Sept. 4 for their 2026 home opener.
After Blooming Grove’s Jayden Stout’s run brought the Lions to Eustace’s 24-yard line, the Bulldogs’ Chris Ridgle recovered a Blooming Grove fumble to give the Bulldogs the ball at their own 13.
After the ball was spotted at the Lions’ 24-yard line following a facemask penalty against Blooming Grove, Eustace’s Donnie Bevis rushed to the 8-yard line; after Bulldog receiver Sawyer Smith’s catch put Eustace at Blooming Grove’s 1-yard line, Bevis punched it in for a Bulldogs touchdown, which coupled with the ensuing extra-point kick gave Eustace a 7-0 lead with 2:37 left in the first quarter.
The Lions had the ball at the Bulldogs’ 32 at the end of the first quarter. Early in the second quarter, Esteban Portillo barreled through for a 16-yard touchdown run, with the following 2-point conversion handing Blooming Grove the 8-7 advantage.
An ensuing Eustace possession saw Smith return a kickoff to the Blooming Grove 45. and Bevis rushed to the 1-yard line to set up a first-and-goal for the Bulldogs. Bevis ended up punching it in, and following Justin Buford’s 2-point conversion, Eustace took a 15-8 lead with 9:31 remaining until halftime.
That lead didn’t last as Joe Haden took off for a 59-yard rushing touchdown and Blooming Grove led again, 16-15, following a 2-point conversion with 7:02 left until halftime.
With 5:07 left in the half, the Lions forced a turnover on downs, after which Eustace forced one as well, that time with 2:24 left in the half and the posssession starting at the Eustace 48-yard line. Bevis eventually punched it in with a 6-yard quarterback keeper touchdown with 13 seconds left in the first half. After Rocky Carter’s 2-point conversion, the Bulldogs led 23-16 at halftime.
With 7:15 remaining in the third quarter, Bevis punched it in with a 2-yard TD run, which put Eustace squarely in the lead at 29-16.
The Lions faced a fourth down at Eustace’s 5-yard line, but Stout ran in the end zone for a score and they trailed 29-22 after their two-point attempt was no good.
With one minute left in the third quarter, Bevis struck again with a 40-yard rushing touchdown, which built Eustace’s lead to 36-22 going into the fourth quarter.
With 10:20 left to play in the game, Portillo scored on an 18-yard touchdown, after which the Lions’ successful 2-point conversion allowed Blooming Grove to trail 36-30.
Following Justin Buford’s run to the Lions’ 32, Carter ran for a 19-yard score as the Bulldogs built their lead to 44-30 after a 2-point conversion with 7:42 remaining. Hudson Smith forced an incomplete pass on the next Lion possession for a turnover on downs, which sent Eustace to a 44-30 victory over their visitors.
Next, the Bulldogs traveled to Rice for a Sept. 11 non-District matchup.
Other Cedar Creek Lake-area football action Sept. 4, the Malakoff Tigers moved to 2-0 after beating Palestine Westwood 51-29 and played the Grandview Zebras Sept. 11 for the Tigers’ first 2026 home game. Also, the Kemp Yellowjackets lost 32-14 at Dallas’ Conrad High School and faced Gateway Charter Academy  Sept. 11 for another Kemp road trip to Dallas. The Trinidad Trojans also played Sept. 4, going to Longview and beating Trinity School of Texas, 52-34, for Trinidad head coach Casey Herring’s first victory at Trinidad. The Trojans then played at Penelope Sept. 11. The Kerens Bobcats played Sept. 3 because of a shortage of officials to regulate the game, hosting Bosqueville, with the visitors going home with a 34-28 win.