Some say Bulldogs only live about nine or so years. 

 

Becker’s last football title was nine years ago.

 

Hmmm..Coincidence?

 

Maybe. Maybe not. Welcome to Becker’s brand new puppy.

 

Friday afternoon, the Becker Bulldog football team polished off an incredible 12-1 season by defeating the DeLaSalle Islanders in convincing manner, 24-6 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

 

Led by a tenacious defense that amassed six turnovers and had numerous goal-line stands, the Bulldogs took home their first state title since 2005.

 

Head Coach Dwight Lundeen said, “I am so proud of those kids man, we really played well. We took so much stuff away from a great team. They have a lot of quickness and we bottled up their quarterback, didn’t let him get outside.”

 

He was also very proud of how efficient his offense was on the night.

 

“Offensively we did enough things to move the ball and eat some clock, especially in the fourth quarter where once we got that stop, they didn’t have enough possessions to win.”

 

“The big plays of the day were those interceptions, and those were very, very athletic picks by our kids,” he continued. “Especially Dawson Brown, he had an MVP kind of game.”

 

Brown finished the night with three interceptions — including an acrobatic, fingertip grab of a ball that he hauled in while laying on his back. Brown also led the team with nine tackles and one sack.

 

The Bulldogs received the opening kickoff and drove the ball 61 yards on 14 plays, culminating with a four-yard plunge by QB Michael Veldman to set the stage for the day.

After the failed two-point conversion, DeLaSalle set up shop at their 30 yard line and drove 40 yards to Becker’s 30 before turning the ball over on downs.

 

Becker’s next possession was a three-and-out, and on DeLaSalle’s first play from scrimmage following a punt, Safety Tyler Thorson reeled in the first of five interceptions on the night to put Becker in business at their own 17.

 

The Bulldogs managed just six yards on that possession and punted the ball back to the Islanders around midfield.

 

The defense stood tall and forced the Islanders to punt after Jaylin Hildenbrandt sacked QB Billy Hart for a 16-yard loss on third and 13.

 

On Becker’s first play from the 49 after the punt, Veldman hit Eric Blomgren down the seam for a 34-yard gain to DeLaSalle’s 15. Two plays later, RB C.J. Schwintek rambled in from the 13 to score Becker’s second TD of the game.

 

Another failed two-point conversion and Becker had the lead at 12-0 with 10 minutes left in the first half.

 

The Islanders found their mojo and marched 73 yards to Becker’s three yard line and the game looked to be within one score when DeLaSalle had the ball first and goal at the three.

 

Hildebrandt stuffed Hart on a first down run for no gain. Then CB Jake Fobbe broke up a pass in the end zone intended for Marquise Bridges. On third down, Brown broke up another Hart pass for Isaac Hodge in the end zone and the Islanders were faced with a fourth and goal with seven minutes to go in the half.

 

Blake Barthel broke through the line as Hart dropped back to pass and sacked the QB for a four yard loss and a turnover on downs.

 

That play was key as it lifted the defense and completely deflated the Islanders’ offense.

 

Four minutes later, DeLaSalle had the ball at Becker’s five yard line and another first and goal situation. And once again, the defense denied the Islanders and both teams went into halftime with the 12-0 score in Becker’s favor.

 

Last week, the Islanders headed into their second half against Hutchinson down 14-13 and it is assumed the Islander’s coaches reminded their team of their capability to come back from behind.

 

That was Hutchinson. This was Becker.

 

Brown continued his shrewd play on defense as he picked off Hart’s second pass into the third quarter to set the Bulldogs up at their own 31.

 

It didn’t take long for Becker to put up their third tally as Veldman found Blomgren for another 25 yard gain, then connected with Matt Conzemius from 19-yards out to light up the scoreboard again.

 

Becker led 18-0, but there was plenty of ball game left.

 

Just as DeLaSalle looked to be making a little progress, moving the ball from their own 30 yard line to just across midfield, Brown did his MVP-thing and picked off another Hart pass to squash still yet another Islander drive.

 

On DeLaSalle;s next possession, Barthel tackled Bridges from behind and stripped the ball and Beau Pauly jumped on it for Becker at the DeLaSalle 21.

 

Four plays later, Pauly trotted into the end zone from four yards out and Becker was on top 24-0.

 

The only glitch came when Becker drove to the DeLaSalle 14 yard line in what looked like the nail in the coffin.

 

However, Veldman’s pass to Conzemius was intercepted in the end zone by Bridges and he scampered 40 yards before being tackled by Blomgren. A penalty against Becker put the ball at the Bulldog 25 and Hart made them pay with a strong throw over the middle for the Islander’s first and only score.

 

About halfway through the fourth quarter, DeLaSalle’s Hart got hurt on a scramble and was taken out of the game. His replacement, Nick Weber, had just as much trouble to deal with and even found #7 — Becker’s #7 (Brown) — for Brown’s third interception that ultimately put a lid on the game.

 

DeLaSalle outgained the Bulldogs (329 yards to 326) but in the long run, it was the Becker defense and the six turnovers that did the Islanders in.

 

Veldman finished with one TD thrown and one gained on the ground while throwing for 172 yards on 12-of-18 passing.

 

Schwintek finished with 146 yards on the ground on 24 carries and one TD. Blomgren had 82 yards on five catches and Conzemius 33 yards on two receptions and one TD.

 

Hildebrandt had eight tackles including seven solos and one sack. Nathan Voigt had seven tackles and Thorson two interceptions.

 

Who let the Dogs out?