Four short years ago, George Bush still had tremendous support winning re-election. Michael Phelps lost races in an Olympic swimming pool just north of Athens, and the Ida Baker Bulldogs were starting a football program with a freshman team.

My, how things have changed.

On a gorgeous night in Cape Coral the Bulldogs played their homecoming game with the Estero Wildcats. The atmosphere was electric as the crowd was hyped up for the game.

When the game started the Bulldog fans were thinking victory — and they were correct — a 43-0 rout of the winless Wildcats.

The Bulldogs scored in the first quarter and never looked back. They could do whatever they wanted on both sides of the ball.

After a touchdown run by fullback Rafaelito Palazzolo the score became 14-0 and it should have been more.

On the Wildcats’ first drive of the second quarter they earned a first down and were starting to spark before a holding penalty on a third-and-three brought it back and the Wildcats (0-3) never seemed to recover.

This penalty seemed to start a trend of sloppy football for the Wildcats as they ended up with 13 penalties and four fumbles.

This was the story of the game as the Bulldogs’ defense was never threatened and the offense capitalized often. Baker quarterback Sean Francis ran for 114 yards, leading the Dogs to a 28-0 lead at halftime.

The second half was more of the same as the Bulldogs kept up their dominance. Ron Ward rambled for a 32-yard touchdown run, then an interception for a touchdown by Palazzolo.

“Our game play tonight was focus. We lost focus in our loss to Riverdale last week and it bit us, this week it needed to be different and it was,” said Baker coach Brian Conn.

This team looked more than focused. When the final horn sounded, the score was 43-0.

Baker (2-1) looks to continue its winning ways next Friday night when they host North Fort Meyers (2-1).