Fergus Falls broke the hearts of Bulldog players, coaches and fans as they knocked off the Becker Bulldogs 27-26 last Friday night to claim the Section 8AAAA football championship.  

The loss ends the Bulldogs’ quest to repeat as state champions and gave them a .500 record for the year at 5-5.

The Bulldogs finished with 361 total yards (183 rushing, 178 passing) while the Otters had 387 total yards, 129 on the ground and 258 through the air.  It was a back-and-forth clash that came down to a missed XP by Becker to hand the crown to Fergus Falls.. 

The Otters’ Caleb Fronning capped a 64 yard scoring drive with a 2-yard touchdown run to give the Otters a 6-0 lead in the first quarter.  Becker responded with a 65 yard drive of their own as QB Tristan Kowalkowski carried the ball into the end zone from the one yard line to tie the game at 6-6.

Both teams missed their extra-point attempts and the game was knotted at 6-6.

The Otters mounted another 64 yard TD drive which gave them a 13-6 lead when Eston Bethel scored from the 10 yard line and Josh Horgen added the extra-point kick.  

Becker got right back in it when Kowalkowski  hit Tarver Schendzielos from 57 yards out to cap a 67 yard drive. Another missed XP meant the Otters held a slim, 13-12 lead in the middle of the second quarter.

Fronning’s second TD of the night, another 2-yard run, put the score at 19-12, as Fergus Falls missed their extra point kick. 

Becker looked good as they mounted an 80 yard drive on their next possession and saw Kowalkowski hit Sawyer Brown with a 17 yard scoring pass.  The Bulldogs went for two and Isiah Boyer reeled in the catch from Kowlakowski to give Becker the 20-19 lead at halftime.

On a critical play in the third quarter, Fergus Falls’  Micah Johnson intercepted a pass that gave the Otters possession of the football at the Becker 43-yard line. Bethel found Parker Thielke from 24 yards out to put the Otters ahead and the successful two-point tray made it 27-20. 

The Bulldogs rallied again and when Kowalkowski connected with Schendzielos on a 10 yard touchdown pass — it appeared to be heading for a tie at 27. However, a bad snap on the PAT attempt thwarted the Bulldogs from adding the game tying point and the season abated.

Kowalkowski was 9-for-19 for 178 yards for the Bulldogs.  Brown (six catches, 96 yards) and Schendzielos (two receptions, 67 yards) were the leading receivers.  Nathan Weiss ran the ball 17 times for 66 yards and Kowalkowski had 11 carries for 63 yards.

Fergus Falls (8-3) will now play a 4A quarterfinal round game against Orono on Thurs., Nov. 6 at Alexandria HS.