It took nearly a half of football for the Bulldogs to get their offensive game together at Milaca Friday, but after all the shouting was done, they had marched off with a 59-16 victory, good for a 5-0 record and first place in the Granite Ridge Conference.

 

Milaca proved a stern test in the opening periods, finally giving up a 20-16 intermission lead to the visitors in the cold and the rain.

 

 QB Nathan Hess, one of the higher-rated quarterbacks in the region, was on fire in the early going, guiding them to their first-half touchdowns. He finished with 10 completions in 15 tries for 187 yards.

 

But Becker piled on 23 third period points and 16 more in the final stanza, while holding the Wolves scoreless.

 

   Matt Veldman had another outstanding night calling signals, completing 13 of 21 attempts for 234 yards and four scores. Eric Blomgren, Matt Conzemius, Dustin Brown and Beau Pauley each caught a throw for a score.

 

On the ground Milan Kent scored twice, while Alex Meidt got the final one.

 

Becker got the first score of the game on a two-yard Kent burst. Milaca came back to take the lead, then Pauley snatched his 37-yard TD pass from Veldman on a screen pass. Brown followed shortly thereafter with a 20-yarder and Becker had their halftime edge.

 

Things opened up in the second half, with Kent pounding in 14 yards, Blomgren snaring a Veldman pass for 42 yards and the score, and Conzemius catching a 20-yarder for his touchdown. The Bulldogs captured a Milaca fumble and recovered an onside kick to quickly regain possession and score multiple times within a two-minute period.

 

Meidt got his TD on an eight-yard run to open the fourth period, then Andrew Stanger threw 26 yards to Jake Fobbe for a score - and that was it.

 

The Bulldog defense had some things to crow about too. Logan Anderson made four tackles, two for sacks, and Kent, six tackles, three for sacks. Dilan Radunz made five tackles and Meidt and Stanger were among a cadre with three tackles each.

 

The Bulldogs have been winning handily in their Granite Ridge competition, not having lost in two years plus five contests this season.

It’s been a combination of tenacious defense and well-balanced offense.

 

Veldman as of last week was the second highest-rated quarterback in Central Minnesota, with but one interception and 17 touchdowns. He now has 21 scores.

 

Major receivers include Blomgren, with 12 touchdowns and Conzemius, with three scores.

 

Sixth-rated runningback among regional schools has been Schwintek, with a 6.2-yards per carry average.

 

Becker, now rated fifth among state 4A schools,  has just two more Granite Ridge games on the docket before section play begins.

 

They host Cathedral Friday and finish the year Oct. 15 at Little Falls.