It was a sloppy game — numerous penalties, missed assignments and turnovers — but the Bulldogs used a quick start to catapult them to an easy win over rival Princeton to even their season record at 1-1.

 

The game started perfectly for Becker, as QB Josh Fobbe received the football from the center and handed the ball to Kevin Andres for a sweep around the left side from 59 yards out. Andres deked and juked and suddenly took off like a rocket — leaving the Tiger defenders in his wake to the end zone.

 

Just like that, the Bulldogs were on the scoreboard and they never looked back.

 

Andres would finish the game with 130 yards on 10 carries and one score. Fullback Nick Goth was the wrecking ball in the middle, tallying 85 yards on 19 carries and scoring twice.

 

Fobbe masterfully guided his squad through the air and with his legs and also contributed with two interceptions as safety on defense.

 

Speaking of defense, Hokan Bengtson’s boys looked sharp as they did a superb job containing Princeton’s slippery QB, James Flicek. Flicek is smaller than most players on the gridiron but he is elusive and throws a very good ball through the air. Flicek finished with 230 yards on 15 passes, 2 TDs and three interceptions. He ran for 28 yards on 15 carries and he kept the Bulldogs guessing as he slipped tackles and made some pretty throws.

 

Linebacker Brayden Weber had a solid game on defense as he had seven tackles and one assist as well as one tackle for loss. Brandon Gustafson had four tackles and two sacks and Reid Kraus had four tackles and one assist.

 

However, penalties throughout the night on both teams seemed to slow the pace of the game as the night went on. Yellow flags touching the grass was almost as common as Becker touchdowns.

Following Becker’s first score just 22 seconds into the game, the Bulldogs failed on a two-point conversion and they led 6-0 early on.

 

Two plays into their drive, Princeton’s Flicek fumbled the ball and the Bulldogs recovered with great field position. Goth did the heavy work and eventually scored from two yards out to give Becker a 12-0 lead. This time, the two-point conversion worked to give the home team a 14-0 lead early.

 

Goth was the man of the hour again on the next Bulldog drive as he manhandled the Tigers and finally plowed over from seven yards out for Becker’s third score. Another successful two-pointer and Becker was up 22-0 — still in the first quarter.

 

To close out the first quarter, Fobbe found Joey James from 25 yards out with just seconds to go on the clock to score the fourth TD of the game. Jacob Berning ran the two-point conversion over the goal line to extend the lead to 30-0 with the second quarter commencing.

 

The wheels sort of came off for the Bulldogs in the second frame as mistakes cost them a couple drives and Princeton seemed to find their mojo. Colton Malecha received a 19-yard pass from Flicek late in the quarter and a successful two-pointer got the Princeton fans off their duffs and clapping hands.

 

Following halftime, the Tigers looked refreshed and ready to give the Bulldogs a run, especially after Flicek found Adam Williams wide open on the sidelines for a 60-yard TD to make the score 30-14. However, Becker got their groove back and went on to score the game’s final three TDs to squelch any comeback hopes of the Princeton players, coaches and fans.

 

Carter Hietala scored Becker’s fifth TD on a five-yard pass from Fobbe. Kevyn Vilayphanh made a superb catch of a 44-yard pass from Fobbe to score the sixth TD and with the second string players getting some playing time towards the end of the game, Morgan Boros scored from nine yards out to seal the victory in the waning minutes.

 

Princeton committed five turnovers including two fumbles lost and three INTs. Becker lost the ball once when they were closing in on another TD in the third quarter and Fobbe was stripped as he tried to scramble around the right end.

 

Vilayphanh finished as the Bulldogs’ top receiver with two catches for 80 yards and one score.

 

 

The Bulldogs hit the road for the first time next Friday as they face off with Rocori at 7 p.m.