With the Halvorson twins flying all over the field, Josh Fobbe throwing bullets and Carter Hietala making key catches, the #9-state-ranked Becker Bulldog football team knocked off the #8-ranked Delano Tigers Friday night at Eppard Field.

With cool air overhead  and a soggy field under their feet, the Bulldogs once again relied on solid defense, limited mistakes and an offensive line that opened holes and protected their QB from first through fourth quarters.

It was Delano’s second loss in a row after starting the season 3-0.

It took Becker just four minutes of the first quarter to break through for the first score and they did it with a balance of runs and passes that took the team to the goal line. QB Fobbe finished the drive with a one-yard plunge to make it 6-0 and a wide-left kick by Emma Domka for the extra point kept it that way.

Ten minutes ticked by and the teams switched ends for the second quarter as both squads failed to move the ball much. It wasn’t until 8:28 was left until halftime did the Bulldogs add to their lead.

On a third and long play, Fobbe rolled to his right and heaved a bomb downfield from the 50 to where Luke Eigen was standing near the goal line with two defenders nearby. For a moment it appeared the Tiger safety was in perfect position to intercept the pass, but Eigen emerged from behind and stole it away at around the five yard line and waltzed into the end zone.

Becker went for two and Nick Mittelstaedt successfully converted the attempt with a short run.

 Becker was looking sharp while Delano looked rather dull in their play for the first 24 minutes. As the halftime horn sounded, the Bulldogs trotted off with a 14-0 lead and a whole lot of confidence.

Delano found their game in the second half, but with each score they managed, Becker responded with one of their own.

First, with 7:25 to go in the third, the Tigers finally broke through the stout Becker defense and scored.  Robbie Knight scampered from five yards out for the TD and the extra point was good, making the score 14-7.

Knight was a workhorse for the Tigers as he hauled the pigskin 36 times for 150 yards and the one score. Delano finished with 149 yards gained on the ground compared to Becker’s 97, but the Bulldog defense did enough to thwart any big plays from the Tigers.

Following Delano’s TD, Becker marched the field and answered the score with one of their own when Carter Callahan muscled his way into the end zone from two yards out. Domka’s kick was blocked, so the score showed Becker up 20-7 with 4:11 to go in the third.

Teddy and Thomas Halvorson — along with Riley Morrell and Caden DeWall — wreaked havoc on Delano QB Max Otto. Teddy finished with 10 tackles, two assists, one sack and one tackle for loss (TFL) to lead the team.  Thomas had 5 tackles, two assists, one sack and one TFL. Morrell added five tackles while Dewall had seven tackles, one assist, one sack and one TFL.

Delano showed no quit as they mounted their comeback with 8:27 to go by scoring on a Tyler Morsching catch over Lukas Paulson to bring it to 20-13. The XP kick sailed left and Becker appeared to be barely hanging on.

That is, until Fobbe took charge and directed his team downfield a mere three minutes later. From 25 yards out, #3 lobbed a perfect strike to Hietala to give the Bulldogs their cushion back at 26-13.

After stopping the Tigers on their next possession, Fobbe and company utilized the great blocking of the offensive line to gain ground to near midfield. On a critical third down and 18, Fobbe found Hietala 19 yards along the sidelines for a catch that put the nail in the coffin.

Becker finished with 261 yards total to Delano’s 235. Fobbe was nine of 15 for 164 yards and two TDs through the air and one on the ground while Hietala had two catches for 44 yards and the one TD. Eigen had two catches for 58 yards including the one TD while Carter Callahan had three carries for 1`2 yards and one score.

Up Next

The Bulldogs host the 4-1 Rocori Spartans next Friday at 7 p.m. Both Rocori and Becker’s only losses have come at the hands of the 5-0 Hutchinson Tigers.