The Becker Bulldog football team traveled to St. Cloud Friday to take on the Apollo Eagles. It is just the third time the Bulldogs and Eagles have faced each other on the gridiron, with Becker prevailing in both games, 21-17 at Apollo in 2017 and 22-7 at Becker last season.

This year, the game was a huge, lopsided victory for the Class AAAA, ninth-ranked Bulldogs. The defense took the spotlight in the first two games (game one win over Monticello, 22-3), but Friday the offense took the stage to showcase their stock.

Becker was coming off a 16-13 loss at home to Hutchinson while Apollo was reeling from their close, 40-36 loss to Tech a week ago.

The first play of Friday’s contest was telling to the outcome of the game as Becker’s Hunter Klatt intercepted the ball on the first play of the game and rambled 60 yards for a TD, mere seconds into the first quarter.

Less than three minutes later on a fourth down and one, Becker QB Josh Fobbe found Cade Callahan for 46 yards and a TD to put Becker up 14-0 in the blink of an eye.

Fobbe would end up passing for 209 yards on seven-for-11 passing and four TDs. He also ran in Becker’s third TD of the game on a fourth and goal play on the first play of the second quarter.

Fobbe distributed the ball well Friday as he sought receivers in Callahan, Nick Mittlestaedt, Carter Heitala and Luke Eigen. Each caught Fobbe passes for scores with Eigen scoring Becker’s fourth TD of the first half (13 yards) and  Mittelstaedt the fifth (11 yards).

Halftime score: Becker 34, Apollo 0.

The break did not aid the Eagles as they struggled just the same as the third quarter commenced.

Heitala put the Bulldogs up 41-0 when he reeled in a 55-yard pass from Fobbe and kicker Emma Domka completed her third extra point. Before the quarter expired, Becker had the second-stringers strapping their chinstraps and getting reps on both sides of the ball.

Running Back Ethan Wilson scored Becker’s seventh touchdown on a nine-yard scamper. He finished with 55 yards on eight carries including a 19-yarder.

The final tally came late in the fourth when RB John Stangler found the end zone from nine yards out. Domka missed the kick (her  fourth of the game), but it was inconsequential.

Becker held Apollo to 86 total yards and just five first downs. The defense was led by Thomas Halvorson with five tackles and two assists. Lukas Paulson had three tackles and one assist. Becker punted just twice.

The Bulldogs finished with 435 yards amassed ­ 209 through the air and 226 on the ground. The offense notched 20 first downs and was two-for-two on fourth downs.

Callahan not only shone as a receiver, but he led the rushers with 74 yards on 10 carries including a long, 27-yarder. Austin Berning had 61 yards on eight carries including a 15-yard dash.

Becker improves to 2-1 while Apollo falls to 1-2. The Bulldogs travel to Big Lake to take on the 1-2 Hornets next Friday.