The Milbank Area Bulldogs shut down Northeast Conference rival Aberdeen Roncalli with a 32-7 victory Friday, September 15, at Swisher Field in Aberdeen. The... Dawgs Shut Down Roncalli Cavaliers

The Milbank Area Bulldogs shut down Northeast Conference rival Aberdeen Roncalli with a 32-7 victory Friday, September 15, at Swisher Field in Aberdeen. The win improves the Dawgs season record to 3-1 overall.

“I’m really happy with our effort and overcoming the second quarter,” said Bulldog Head Football Coach Jeremy Tostenson. “We played a very good second half.”

Senior Mitch Quade took a few snaps as the quarterback last week, but this week shared the duties with Jacob Sandvig to mix things up for the Cavaliers. Milbank started on offense. Quade hit Cole Dockter on a short pass and he scurried 88 yards for the first touchdown. The extra point kick failed. Milbank Area led 6-0.

On Roncalli’s first offensive series, the Cavaliers slowly moved down the field, but Dockter intercepted a Roncalli pass in the end zone, giving Milbank Area the ball on their own 20. Roncalli retaliated by recovering a Bulldog fumble. The Cavs faced a fourth down and seven when senior Nate Bohn broke up a pass, and the Bulldogs took over on downs at their own 16. The first quarter ended with Milbank ahead 6-0.

Facing a third and one on the Cavalier nine-yard-line, the Dawgs come up with a first down to stay alive. A QB keeper by Quade brought Milbank Area within striking distance at the one. Jake Karges pushed it up the middle and over the goal line for the second touchdown of the game. The Dawgs’ two-point conversion attempt failed, but Milbank Area led 12-0 with just over 10 minutes left in the first half.

Roncalli surprised the crowd by returning the kick off for an 84-yard touchdown. The extra point kick was good, moving the score to 12-7. The Cavaliers then recovered their onside kick, but Riley Gauer picked off a Roncalli pass, giving the Dawgs the ball on their own 16. Both teams struggled for several minutes. Finally, Dockter came up with an interception, but there was not enough time left on the clock to convert it into points. The halftime score was Milbank 12, Roncalli 7.

The second half was all Bulldogs! Milbank Area stopped Roncalli on their first possession of the half, and then quickly scored a TD when Dockter carried the Cavs punt 86-yards for the score. Quarterback Sandvig kept the ball and pushed over the goal line for the two-point conversion, giving Milbank Area the 20-7 advantage.

Nearing the end of the third quarter, and despite penalty flags and facing a fourth and five, Dockter rushed in seven yards for another TD. The conversion failed, but Milbank Area remained ahead 26-7.

The final quarter was highlighted by a Nate Bohn interception and a 11-yard touchdown pass from Quade to James Weber to clinch the victory at 32-7.

Milbank Area racked up 300 yards of total offense. The Dawgs accumulated 166 yards passing and 134 yards rushing. Roncalli finished the game with 170 total yards – 48 yards passing and 122 rushing.

Quade led the Bulldogs with 166 yards passing on 7-10 and three touchdowns. He also added 21 yards rushing on six carries. Karges tallied 61 yards rushing on 13 carries and one TD. Dockter added 51 yards rushing on nine totes, 125 yards receiving on three catches, and two touchdowns and a punt return for a score.

Also adding to the offensive totals for the Dawgs were Sandvig, one yard rushing on five carries; Brodie Holtquist, three yards rushing on three carries; Weber, 21 yards on two receptions and a TD; Derrick Aho, one catch for 12 yards, and Gauer, eight yards on one catch.

Weber led the Bulldog defense with 11 tackles. Dockter and Tanner Kettwig contributed five tackles each. Gauer had four. Also playing a key role on defense were Quade, Angel Chen, Chandler Peery, and Max McCulloch with three tackles apiece.

Senior quarterback Mitch Quade.

Staff Writer

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