Bulldogs Upset WC – Take on Madison Tonight

The Milbank Bulldogs upset the West Central Trojans 22-21 in a defensive duel in Hartford on Friday, October 17. The Bulldogs and the Trojans stayed locked in turf war, but managed to put 43 combined points on the scoreboard. The NFL-like finish by Milbank –a 25-yard field goal to take the win in the last two minutes of the game– was worth the price of admission.

Milbank’s victory put them at 6-2 this season going into a very tough matchup with the Madison Bulldogs tonight,Thursday, October 23. Madison also sits at 6-2 this season and is ranked  No. 4 in the latest South Dakota Media Poll for Class 11A.  Kick off is 7 p.m. tonight at A. B Campbell Stadium in Milbank.

South Dakota Media Poll Class 11A (10/20)
1. Sioux Falls Christian 8-0 105 1
2. Dell Rapids 6-2 73 2
3. Lennox 6-2 66 4
4. Madison 6-2 44 5
5. West Central 5-3 20 3
Receiving votes: Milbank 6-2  6, Tri-Valley 4-3 1 

In the game on October 17, West Central struck first with a 24-yard touchdown from Trojan quarterback Carter Gross.The extra point put them up 7-0 and the scored remained there at the end of the first quarter.

Milbank rang the bell for the first time in the second quarter. After some confusion among the officials, a first down call was revised to fourth and short. The Bulldogs decided to go for it, and Milbank’s quarterback Braylen Bowsher sent a long pass to Esteban Abrego. Abrego not only caught it, he dragged three Trojans on his jersey like a chain for extra yardage and the first down. On the next pass, Bowsher nailed a pass to Sam Rick in the corner for a 10–yard touchdown. Franklin Pederson sent the extra-point kick up and in to tie the score at 7-7.

In the third quarter, with 10:19 left to go, on fourth and one, the Bulldogs set up to punt, but on a fake to Ethan Seyer, Seyer instead ran it to the Trojan’s 29-yard line. Rick got it to the 25-yard line. Bennett Hunt got it to the six-yard line, and Bowsher to the 5-yard line. Bowsher kept it on the next play and plowed into the endzone for the TD. The PAT was no good, but the Bulldogs were ahead 13-7.

After the kickoff, the clock sat at 7:31. West Central turned on the jets and moved the nut to the 39-yard line. But the Trojans fumbled and  MIlbank recovered the football. The Bulldogs didn’t have possession long, though. West Central’s No. 65 Nick Lorang picked off a pass and West Central started their march to the goal. The Trojans  got as far as the Bulldogs’ 10-yard line, but had to stop to clean up some laundry on the field.  The  Trojans then found themselves at  third and goal from the Bulldogs’ nine. Gross connected for the touchdown, and the extra point was also good. West Central went ahead 14-13.  The Trojans were on a hot streak and quickly punched in another TD with 2:35  on the clock before the quarter ended. A kick between the posts pushed their lead to 21-13.

The Bulldogs paid attention to business right away in the fourth quarter. Rick caught a 40-yard bomb from Bowsher and took it to the house for a TD. The Bulldogs decided to run for the two-point conversion, but it failed to materialize. Milbank had tightened  the gap to two points, but still were trailing 21-19. 

With over 11 minutes remaining in the game, the teams had plenty of time to exchange  chances to score. During one opportunity, West Central hoped  to hornswoggle Milbank with a fake punt, but the Bulldogs were on the job, and West Central turned it over on downs. Milbank also could not produce, and Layten Osowski put up a great kick to send the ball back to the Trojans. More laundry for the Trojans made it fourth and 20 and time to mail it back to the Bulldogs. During that attempt, Bowsher got sacked,on the 43-yard line with  3:37 left to play, but he kept grinding away. On a jump ball to Abrego, the Bulldogs improved their field position and sat at first and goal, but they couldn’t get it over the line. A couple downs later,at fourth and goal, with 108 seconds left in the game, Milbank sent in their kicker. Pederson stunned the Trojans with a 25-yard field goal and three giant points. The Bulldogs conquered the Trojans 22-21!

Milbank accumulated 240 total yards. They had 180 yards passing and 60 yards rushing. Bowsher completed 12 of 20 attempts for 10 yards, including two touchdowns. Seyer had one carry for 24 yards. Hunt had seven for 22 yards. Max Scoular made one carry for three yards.  Rick recorded six receptions for 77 yards, including two TDs. Abrego pulled down two receptions for 58 yards. Hunt grabbed two for 24 yards. Mason Allen also contributed one for 21 yards.

Hunt, Allen, and Ethan Owen led the Bulldogs in tackles. Hunt and Owen made eight apiece. Hunt added five assists and Allen made three. Owen had seven tackles and added six assists and a sack. Rick had six tackles and one assist. Osowski had five tackles and two assists. Micah Tostenson and Carter Gloe each made four tackles. Gloe added three assists and a sack. Tostenson added one assist and a sack. Seyer recorded  two tackles. Bowsher and Ryan Keeton each made one tackle and one assist. Scoular, Emmett Snaza, Liam Street, and  Pederson made one tackle apiece. Abreego made an assist.

West Central acquired 342 total yards with 119 passing and 223 passing. Gross led in rushing with 127 yards. Heier led with four receptions for 45 yards. Gebhard led the Trojan’s defense with six tackles.

File Photo