On a crisp, windless Friday night at Eppard Field, the Becker Bulldog football team completed a sweep of the Granite Ridge Conference by snuffing out the Crusaders, 48-7 in their final regular season home game of the year.
QB Michael Veldman was superb as usual, throwing for 204 yards on 14-of-20 passing and four TDs, including a 63-yarder to Eric Blomgren in the second quarter who scored three of Becker’s seven touchdowns.
The defense also did their part once again, holding the Crusader offense off the board with special teams giving up the only score on an 80-yard kickoff return at the seven minute mark of the fourth quarter.
Becker countered on the ensuing kickoff with a TD run of 77 yards by Alex Meidt to silence the Crusader enthusiasm.
The Bulldogs scored two TDs in the first quarter when Veldman drove the team on their first drive to the St. Cloud six-yard line.On second and goal, Veldman found Blomgren in the end zone for six and Becker was off and running quickly.
On St. Clouds first play from scrimmage, RB Zach Sufka got plowed over by the defense and dropped the ball, with Becker pouncing on it at the Crusader 20 yard line.
Four plays later, Veldman connected with Matt Conzemius from five yards out and the Bulldogs had a quick 13-0 (XP no good) lead with 6:17 left in the first.
It was more of the same in the second quarter when Becker tallied twice more, this time when Veldman found Blomgren behind the Crusader defense for a 63-yard TD and another when TB Milan Kent rambled in from the three to put Becker up 27-0 at the half.
The third quarter was quiet as both teams battled for field position and dealt with penalties and turnovers for the entire 12 minutes.
Finally, at the 7:04 mark of the fourth, Veldman was able to connect with Blomgren again, this time from five yards out to put Becker up 34-0.
Who would have known two more touchdowns would be scored in a matter of seconds when St. Cloud’s Mattson Courier rambled 80 yards on the kickoff to finally put the Crusaders on the board, only to have Meidt follow that with a 77-yard kickoff return for a TD to put the Bulldogs up 41-7 with seven minutes to go.
It was now time to empty the benches.
St. Cloud conceded and began sending in their scrubs as time wound down and Becker did the same. Morgan Kramer came in to relieve Veldman at QB and he proceeded to drive the Bulldogs the length of the field with four and a half minutes left to the St. Cloud 17. Taylor Dawson took the hand-off and dashed into the end zone only to have the play called back because of a holding call.
No Matter, Hayden Fassler took the subsequent hand off and bulldozed through he defense to score the final TD of the game to make it 48-7.
Becker finished with 24 first downs compared to just nine for St. Cloud. Becker had 247 yards rushing compared to St. Cloud’s 64. Total offense went to Becker with 445 yards while St. Cloud mustered 212.
Blomgren finished with 133 yards receiving on eight catches and three TDs. Kent had 61 yards on the ground and one TD.
On defense, Beau Pauly recorded seven tackles and Dawson Brown sent a shiver through the stadium when St. Cloud’s Dominic Austing intercepted a Veldman pass in the fourth quarter and didn’t see Brown as he tried to cut up field and Brown laid him out, causing the ball to be fumbled and recovered by the Bulldog offense.
Austing remained on the ground for several minutes, but fortunately was able to rise to his feet and walk off the field after the viscous hit from Becker’s WR and safety.
Up next, the Bulldogs finish off the regular season traveling to Little Falls Wednesday before the Section 5AAA playoffs begin Oct. 25.
