The first game was close. This one wasn’t. The Becker Bulldogs took another step closer to their second-consecutive state title when they completely subdued the Thunder from Zimmerman Tuesday night at home, 34-3.

 

The game was close at first, but the Bulldogs flexed their muscle in the second and third quarters and came away with an easy win over the one team that threatened to issue them a blemish in Becker’s win-loss record for 2015.

 

QB Andrew Stanger had another outstanding game behind center as he completed 10-of-18 passes for 119 yards and one TD through the air. He also scored Becker’s final TD of the game on a one-yard dive with 39 seconds left in the third quarter after almost given credit for a 48-yard TD run when the referee marked him out of bounds at the one.

 

Beau Pauly also had a monstrous game as he tallied two TDs on offense and registered seven team tackles on defense. Pauly finished with 62 yards on the ground in eight carries and also tallied one reception for 19 yards as a receiver.

 

Zimmerman’s QB, Alex Riley, was the Thunders’ only real threat as he led the team in passing and rushing as Becker’s defense chased him up and down the field all night. Riley finished with 71 yards rushing and just five yards through the air.

 

The game started a little like it did in last month’s game with both teams playing field position and great defense. However, Becker broke through at the six-and-a-half minute mark when Pauly carried the rock around the left end and scored from 20 yards out to put the home team up by seven.

 

The Thunder made some noise just five minutes later when they drove to the Becker 17-yard line and were about to go for it on a fourth down and two when someone on the line moved and were called for a false start. That moved the ball back five yards and coach Tom Kish decided to try a field goal rather than come away empty.

 

The kick was good and little did anyone know — that was all the Thunder would muster.

 

Early in quarter number two, Gabe Dertinger took a pitch from Stanger around the left side and somehow slipped through at least five Zimmerman defenders on his way to a 12-yard TD.

 

Coach Mike Lundeen did a masterful job calling plays for the offense as the Thunder looked helpless when trying to stop Pauly, Dertinger, Alex Meidt and Milan Kent on the ground, while trying to blanket WR’s Jake Fobbe,  Clayton Gallus, Jack Conzemius and Meidt in the passing game.

 

And Stanger, well he continued to masterfully guide this team on the ground and through the air and provided enough fits for the Zimmerman defense that they started to show chippiness in the late third quarter with a few unnecessary, after-the-whistle hits and shoves.

 

With Becker up 14-7 at the nine-minute mark of the second, Stanger started Becker’s drive at Zimmerman’s 26 thanks to a remarkable punt return by Fobbe after a 25-yard kick from Trey Chambers. 

 

On the next play, Stanger found Fobbe for a five yards, then Dertinger then put on the jets for a six-yarder to put the ‘Dawgs at Zimmerman’s 15. A sack sent the Bulldogs back seven yards, but no matter as Pauly took the handoff on a third and 17 and found paydirt when he crossed the goal line to put Becker up by 18.

 

Halftime came with Becker up 21-3 and though the Bulldogs dominated, the door was still cracked for the Thunder to sneak in if they could.

 

They couldn’t.

 

The Bulldogs’ defense was staunch and resilient as Riley and gang couldn’t mount sustained drives and resolutely kicked the ball back to the home team throughout the first part of the second half. Finally, at the 6:50 mark, the Bulldogs drove the field and Stanger found Meidt from three yards out to pretty much put the nail in the coffin for the visitors. A late TD six minutes later by Stanger sealed the deal and Becker’s second-string finished out the rest of the contest on both sides of the ball.

 

With the win, Becker (9-0) will now face #1-seed Orono for the section championship Saturday (today) in Orono at 7 p.m. The winner will move on to the state tournament where the Section 6AAAA winner will battle against the Section 5AAAA winner at Osseo High School on Halloween night.