With the loss, the Bulldogs fall to 2-3 on the year and have now lost two games in a row. Big Lake improved to 3-2.

 

The Bulldogs opened the scoring in the first quarter when FB Nick Goth rambled into the endzone from three yards out to put the home team up by six. That total would stay there as the extra point was missed.

 

The Hornets pulled ahead later that same quarter when QB Spencer Hinrichs found Deon Harris from 21 yards out to tie the game. The extra point was good and the road team was ready to spoil the Bulldogs’ Homecoming fun.

 

In the second quarter, Hinrichs drove his squad to the goal line and eventually plunged over the goal line to extend the lead. Again, the extra point was successfully converted and Becker was faced with an eight-point deficit.

 

They cut that lead to two when QB Josh Fobbe found  his favorite receiver, Kevyn Vilayphanh, open for a 13-yard TD. The Bulldogs went for the tie, but were stuffed and the score remained 14-12.

 

The Hornets drove once again, but Becker’s defense stood tall and forced them to punt as time winded down in the first half.

 

The home crowd erupted in jubilation when Sam Ricker fielded the ensuing Hornet punt at the one yard line and raced 99 yards to the end zone to put the Bulldogs up, 18-14.

 

Another failed two-point conversion kept the score there as the half closed out — and the failed conversions would eventually come back and sting the Bulldogs in the final frame.

 

The third quarter saw just one score, as Hinrichs found Harris from 13 yards out again to put the visitors up by three at around the seven minute mark. With a little over a minute left in the third, Fobbe was replaced at QB by the rotating tandem of Zack Wenner and Luke Eigen.

 

Both teams had quality opportunities in the fourth quarter, but neither team could puncture the endzone. 

    

Early in the fourth, Becker fumbled the ball away, which led to a long drive by Big Lake to Becker’s 30. Big Lake turned the ball back to Becker on downs. The Bulldogs drove the field with under four minutes to go to the Hornet 29 and on third and six, the QB was sacked. 

 

Finally, with 1:05 to go and fourth down and  nine, the pass fell incomplete and the game was all but lost. Big Lake celebrated when the clock ticked to zero and Becker hung their heads knowing they let an important cross-town rivalry game go to the team from the east.

 

Goth finished with 46 yards on the ground and one score to lead the Becker running game. Kevin Andres had 28 yards on seven carries and one fumble. Fobbe also put one on the ground after finishing with 18 yards on three carries.

 

Vilayphanh finished with 29 receiving yards and one TD while Cade Callahan had one catch for nine yards.

 

Becker gained 132 yards on 50 plays and had 10 first downs. Their two fumbles were costly. The Bulldogs received four penalties for 31 yards to Big Lake’s seven infractions for 104 yards.

 

Wenner was three-of-four for 19 yards through the air. His co-hort, Luke Eigen, was two-of-six for 12 yards. Fobbe finished with eight yards through the air on two-of-five passing and one TD.

 

 

The Bulldogs travel to Brainerd next Saturday for an afternoon game at 2 p.m.