Advertisement

Bulldogs overcome early deficit in win over Clayton Ridge

Error message

  • Warning: array_merge(): Expected parameter 1 to be an array, bool given in _simpleads_render_ajax_template() (line 133 of /home/pdccourier/www/www/sites/all/modules/simpleads/includes/simpleads.helper.inc).
  • Notice: Trying to get property 'settings' of non-object in _simpleads_adgroup_settings() (line 343 of /home/pdccourier/www/www/sites/all/modules/simpleads/includes/simpleads.helper.inc).
  • Warning: array_merge(): Expected parameter 1 to be an array, bool given in _simpleads_render_ajax_template() (line 157 of /home/pdccourier/www/www/sites/all/modules/simpleads/includes/simpleads.helper.inc).
  • Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in include() (line 24 of /home/pdccourier/www/www/sites/all/modules/simpleads/templates/simpleads_ajax_call.tpl.php).

Fullback Gabe McGeough, shown here getting a key block from Bryce Radloff (27), picked up 87 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries in MFL MarMac’s win at Clayton Ridge. (Photos by Audrey Posten)

Bulldog defender Michael Knickerbocker pressures Clayton Ridge quarterback Caleb Helle.

When Clayton Ridge packed the box, Bulldog quarterback Carver Blietz-Bentien ran more with the football, totaling 74 yards on nine carries. He also threw the ball 12 times, completing five passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns.

Josh Reichard and the strong MFL MarMac offensive line made the night easier for the team's passing and rushing attacks.

Cole Allert makes a leaping grab for the football.

Wyatt Powell (6) had three tackles against Clayton Ridge.

By Audrey Posten, Times-Register

 

The MFL MarMac football team improved to 2-0 on Sept. 3, bouncing back from an early deficit to defeat Clayton Ridge 34-17. 

 

“This was a typical game at Clayton Ridge. Every time we’ve played down here, it’s a slug fest,” said MFL MarMac head coach Dan Anderson. “Give them credit: they really came ready to play.”

 

The Eagles jumped on the Bulldogs midway through the first quarter, when quarterback Caleb Helle connected with Drake Ostrander on an 87-yard touchdown reception. An extra point put them up 7-0.

 

“It was frustrating when that first pass they got behind us and our free safety missed the tackle,” said Anderson. “We’ve got to clean that stuff up.”

 

“But nobody panicked,” he added. “We said all week long, ‘Guys, a key to this game is you’re going to have to weather the storm. These guys are going to come out charged up and play you tough right away.’ Of course, we didn’t want to fall behind right away, and we did. But we kept our composure. It’s a long game, and we were able to come back and score with it being wet conditions like this.”

 

MFL MarMac got on the board at the start of the second quarter, with a rushing touchdown by fullback Gabe McGeough and two-point conversion from Cullen McShane that made it 8-7.

 

During Clayton Ridge’s next series, Brandon Christofferson intercepted a pass that set MFL MarMac up for another scoring drive. At the 7:50 mark, quarterback Carver Blietz-Bentien hit McShane for a TD that upped the lead to 14-7.

 

The Eagles tallied a field goal several minutes later, cutting the deficit to 14-10, and were driving at the end of the half, but the Bulldogs got the stop. Another field goal attempt was blocked, leaving the score unchanged at halftime.

 

“They kept it close, but I felt like we were in control after about halfway through the second quarter,” Anderson said. “I felt like, as long as we don’t let a guy get back behind us like that again, I don’t think they can move the ball down the field.”

 

MFL MarMac added to its lead halfway into the third quarter, when, in a third and long situation, Blietz-Bentien connected with Bryce Radloff on a 35-yard touchdown. McShane’s two-point conversion made it 22-10.

 

Capitalizing on a huge punt return by McGeough, the Bulldogs scored again with 6:38 remaining in the game, when McShane punched the ball in from three yards out. The extra point was no good, leaving the Bulldogs ahead 28-10.

 

McGeough then picked up his second touchdown of the night with under two minutes remaining, giving MFL MarMac a 34-10 advantage.

 

The Eagles made it 34-17 with 41 seconds left in the game, earning a touchdown and extra point with some of the Bulldogs’ younger players on the field.

 

“The second half, defensively, we really locked them down,” said Anderson. “That was the key in the game, I thought. We gave ourselves some good field position and we just didn’t give them any big plays.”

 

“Our backs also quit dancing and just put their shoulder pads down and started running,” he added. “Put your shoulder pads down and get us six, seven yards. Don’t be trying to break one for 60.”

 

MFL MarMac had 293 yards on the ground, 198 of which came from the team’s “McDouble” rushing tandem of McShane and McGeough. McShane amassed 111 yards on a team-high 21 attempts, and also scored once, while McGeough added 87 yards and two TDs on 16 carries.

 

Quarterback Blietz-Bentien tallied 74 yards of his own on nine carries.

 

“Having Carver run outside, we needed to. They were packing the box and compacting the inside,” Anderson noted. “We also tried to throw it more because you have to.”

 

Blietz-Bentien completed five of 12 passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns. He threw one interception. McShane caught three of those passes for 26 yards and a touchdown, and Radloff had the one 35-yard score. Cole Allert also caught a 41-yard reception.

 

Anderson credited the offensive line for stepping up when guard Hunter Meyer went down with an injury. Bryce Diehl filled in at tackle while Chauncy Drahn moved to guard.

 

“We have a plan for everything. If someone on the offensive line goes down, we have somebody to slide right in,” he said.

 

While the high-powered Eagle offense was able to accumulate 171 passing yards and 115 on the ground, the Bulldog defense was largely able to keep them out of the end zone. McShane racked up a team-high 9.5 tackles—eight of which were solo efforts—along with a sack. Tristen Koehn had 4.5 and Radloff 4. McGeough notched 3 tackles and a fumble recovery, while Kaden Stocker picked up 3 tackles and an interception. Wyatt Powell also had 3 tackles, and Christofferson snagged the team’s other interception.

 

“It was a good test for us,” said Anderson, who’s now looking to the Bulldogs’ Sept. 10 opponent: Osage (1-1). “They are physical, tough nosed kids and spread the ball out quite a bit. Hopefully we can keep doing what we’re doing and improving on the things we didn’t do so well.”

 

The game will start at 7:30 p.m. in Monona.

Rate this article: 
No votes yet