In a final regular season game featuring two undefeated teams, one team emerged with bite and primed for the playoffs while the other whimpered away with their tail between their legs. “Welcome to 4A football,” was the call from the Bulldogs sidelines.

 

The Bulldogs left no doubt to its naysayers that this year’s team is as special as last year’s state championship team. They destroyed the Albany Huskies on their home field Thursday night in front a packed stadium on “Tackle Cancer” night.

 

For the 20th game in a row, dating back to the second game of the 2014 season, Becker came away with a win. Their dominance — on both sides of the ball — proved too much for the Huskies as Becker completed the regular season 8-0.

 

Alex Meidt was the thorn in the paw of the Huskies.

 

After each team failed to move the ball too much on their first possessions, Albany punted the ball back to the Bulldogs and Meidt fielded the ball at the 39. He dashed sideways and flipped the ball backwards to Tyler Thorson and that was all she wrote. Thorson found a seam on the left side and was off to the races — basically untouched — to the end zone to put Becker up 7-0 at the eight minute mark.

 

The defense did their job again — as they did throughout the game — and Albany kicked the ball back to Becker after a three-and-out.

 

QB Andrew Stanger had another spectacular day behind center as his hands and feet helped guide the Bulldogs to five touchdowns including the first of three to Meidt. Stanger dropped back, faked a quick throw, then launched a bomb to Meidt who drifted under the ball and shook a tackler enroute to a 71-yard TD play.

 

The extra point was blocked but Becker’s bite was already felt by the Huskies in the first quarter.

 

Stanger and Meidt hooked up again at 9:12 of the second quarter on a 27-yard, over-the-shoulder reception for Becker’s third score of the game. A successful two-point conversion put the ‘Dawgs up 21-0 and in complete control.

 

Albany lost all control — and any glimmer of hope — when on the next set of downs, QB Taylor Fourre tried a backwards pass to Max Carlson and missed badly. LB Beau Pauly was johnny-on-the-spot as he scooped up the errant lateral and raced 35 yards for a score.

 

The wheels had come off for the Huskies even though they scored an insignificant TD late in the first half to cut the score to 28-6. The shutout was gone but the bite wasn’t as Becker continued to pour it on in the second half — keeping the 3A Huskies at bay all night long.

 

The #1-ranked Class 4A Bulldogs scored twice more in the third — including another long score from Stanger to Meidt to put the game out of reach and spoil any comeback hopes for the visitors. As the horn sounded to end the game, the Bulldogs gathered near their sidelines to score one more prize — that the East Central District North Division trophy.

 

“That was huge,” said Becker Head Coach Dwight Lundeen, who won his 337th career game. “We played well in all three areas, offensively, defensively and special teams.”

 

The Bulldogs finished Thursday’s game with 304 yards of total offense compared to Albany’s 229. Becker’s defense yielded 238 rushing yards (most of that late in the game) and gave up -9 yards through the air.

 

Stanger was 7-for-15 for 182 yards and had three TDs. Milan Kent led the ground game with 42 yards on five carries and had one score.

 

Meidt led all receivers with  three TDs on three catches for 134 yards.

 

On defense, Jaylin Hildebrandt had a monster game — tallying 13 solo tackles and Pauly was all over the field too as he recorded 10 tackles including a sack and a fumble recovery for a TD. Frankie Baker kicked in seven tackles — four solos and three assists.

 

The Bulldogs are headed to the Section 6-4A playoffs as most likely the #2 seed, believe it or not. Orono is likely getting #1 spot because the Spartans’ schedule is dotted with 5A programs while Becker’s is sprinkled with 3A teams. 

 

The pairings for the playoffs will be finalized Saturday morning and Becker is expected to receive a bye in the first round, then receive a home game to be played Tuesday, Oct. 20.

 

The winner of that game would play for the section title Oct. 24.