7th Grade Bulldogs Play in Minnesota Football Jamboree

Saturday, September 8th was a full day for Bulldog athletics and that didn’t stop at just the varsity level of play.  The Milbank seventh grade football team traveled to Barrett, Minnesota to play in a three-game jamboree.

In the first game of the day, Milbank took on Bemidji, Minnesota, and the Bulldogs reigned victorious with a score of 6-0. Garrett Mertens scored the lone touchdown on a 25-yard run. The two-point try was unsuccessful, but the Bulldog’s turned on the defense to shut out Bemidji.

Game Two matched up Milbank against KMS (Kerkhoven Murdock Sunburg School). The Bulldogs started the game with a 30-yard touchdown run by Mertens. Martens also carried the ball for the extra two points. The Bulldogs gave up one touchdown and a two-point try to allow KMS to tie the game. The Bulldogs defense also stopped KMS from entering the end zone on four consecutive tries from inside the five-yard line. The final score remained at an 8-8 tie.

In the third game of the day, Milbank faced WCA-A (West Central Area). The Bulldogs crushed them at 20-0. Getting things started for Milbank was Jaxson Wildung with a run of 35 yards. Conner Stricherz followed with a successful two-point run. Mertens followed Wildung’s score in the next series with another 35-yard run. The score sat at 14-0 after a failed two point try. The final touchdown for the Bulldogs was on a ten-yard pass from Mertens to Joe Schulte. Coach Jackson Graf said, “The Bulldogs played excellent defense to shut out WCA-A.”

On Thursday, September 13, this young Bulldog team will  host the Sisseton Redmen.