The 2016 Becker Bulldog football season started and ended with a converted field goal try as time expired.
By the other team.
The visiting Big Lake Hornets kicked a field goal with 1.6 seconds remaining in regulation to dash the hopes of the top-seeded Becker Bulldogs, 29-26, Saturday night in Section 6AAAA.
Hutchinson did the identical thing to the Bulldogs in their season opener, Sept. 2 when the Tigers’ Travis Trettin kicked a 26-yard field goal on the final play to give the Bulldogs their first loss.
Saturday, the Bulldogs appeared to be the superior team from the get-go when on the opening kickoff, Sidney Boros hauled in the ball at the 13-yard line and weaved his way around the corner and into the endzone from 87 yards out.
However, the score was reversed as Becker was caught blocking a Hornet in the back, so the ball was placed at the 11.
No bother because on the first play from scrimmage, Boros took the ball and dashed 89-yards to paydirt to put Becker up 7-0 in the first 30 seconds of the ball game.
Big Lake looked stunned and outmanned as they tried to re-group and get a hold of what was happening to them so quickly.
The playing field appeared to be in good shape despite the fact steady, light rain had descended upon Eppard Field for most of the day Saturday. The rain had pretty much stopped by game time, but as the game rolled on, the slick grass gave way to sludgy mud and traction suddenly became an issue.
But before the sludge materialized, the Bulldogs would score two more TDs before half to jump out to an impressive lead.
The second TD of the game came when Big Lake QB Spencer Hinrichs was tackled by Jaylin Hildebrandt and fumbled the ball at the four yard line. Lucas Dertinger scooped the loose ball up and dashed to the endzone to put the Bulldogs up 13-0.
The PAT was blocked, which proved critical to the outcome of the game later on.
Hildebrandt had a solid game, recording seven tackles and a sack in his first game back from a knee injury that sidelined him most of the season.
Up by two scores and feeling confident, the Bulldogs were looking to further destroy Big Lake’s hope of beating the Bulldogs for the first time in 20 years. However, a muffed punt at Becker’s 35, gave the Hornets a spark and they capitalized two plays later when Hinrichs found Nate Sandford behind the defense for a 38-yard TD score.
“I think the turnover of our punt receiver after we had a 13-point was the key play of the game,” Lundeen said. “One more score for us might have been too much for them to overcome.”
Still in the first quarter, Becker rebounded from the miscue and increased their lead to 19-7 when Boros again glided through the porous Hornet defense from 38 yards out to put the home team up by 12.
The Bulldogs attempted a two-point conversion, but Boros was stopped just short of the goal line.
The 19-7 score remained that way throughout the second quarter and the Bulldogs exited Eppard Field feeling confident they’d be advancing to the next round of games in section play.
Big Lake took the halftime break to re-evaluate their upcoming final 24 minutes of the season, should they lose.
Whatever was said or revealed helped the Hornets get their sting back.
Just 3:30 into the final half, the Hornets struck with Hinrichs finding Sandford from 16 yards out to pull within 19-14. They would later pull ahead of the Bulldogs at the 1:44 mark of the third quarter when Hinrichs scampered from the 11 to the endzone to give Big Lake their first lead.
The extra point was missed, and as the final quarter commenced, Becker found themselves behind on their home field with just 12 minutes to go.
Things got worse as Big Lake tallied another TD when Tanner Teige rambled from seven yards out with 4:55 to go to put the Hornets up 26-19. The Hornets attempted a two-point conversion and it failed, but the promising season for the Bulldogs was hanging by the balance.
Dwight Lundeen’s team didn’t want the season to end this way. They began their next drive at their own 20-yard line with 4:49 to go.
QB Josh Fobbe — a freshman with marvelous poise and composure — used the legs of Boros and Cale MacMillan and the hands of Dertinger to drive to Big Lake’s 45. Fobbe rolled out and pump faked to Dertinger, who made a move to elude the cornerback and Fobbe’s pass was right on the money for a 45-yard TD score.
Dertinger’s XP was good and the ball game was tied at 26 with 2:18 to go.
It was Tanner Tiege time.
For most of Saturday’s game, the Becker defense did a solid job containing Big Lake’s consummate running back — but on this final drive, Tiege’s legs found new life.
Big Lake methodically drove down the field to Becker’s five-yard line to set up the winning kick. Big Lake’s Isaiah Strom barely eluded Becker’s Adam Bauman’s dive play and the Hornets rushed the field in jubilation.
Final score, Big Lake 29, Becker 26.
“I think our whole team was very disappointed with the outcome of the game on Saturday,” said Lundeen. “Our coaches and players were planing on winning this game.”
After Lundeen and his staff gathered his players together under the goalposts following the loss, he lamented then praised his illustrious team.
“I talked (to the kids) about the risk of playing any athletic contest that one team does lose,” he said. “That is the part that we need to deal with in a classy way, to congratulate the winners and visit with all the loyal supporters that come on the field after every game.”
Lundeen said he and his players stood there and talked for almost an hour.
“The kids were sad that the season was over, but handled it pretty well,” he said. “A lot of tears, mine included.”
Becker’s senior class can hang their hat on the fact they went 31-4 in the last three years — all four losses coming on the very last play of the game.
“We will miss them (seniors) and we let them know that they never really graduate from Becker football family,” he said. “They are and always will be a special member of this family.”
Fourth-seeded Big Lake (6-4) played Friday at third-seeded Orono (6-4) for the Section 6AAAA title. Orono beat #2-seeded Zimmerman (7-2), 26-7 in the other semi-final.
