Bulldogs win homecoming game in overtime thriller

 

September 23, 2022

Cardell Laughery runs the ball during the Bulldogs' overtime victory over MonDak.

It wasn't the prettiest game - there were too many fumbles to count - but the CCHS Bulldogs got their first win of the season, and fans truly got their money's worth in what was perhaps a game for the ages at Rowley Field on September 16th in Ekalaka.

Blue was moving the ball at will on the ground early, ripping off several runs over ten yards and averaging over 5. They went up two scores in the early going, and it seemed as if the game was in hand.

The MonDak Thunder didn't give in though, and scored twice to tie the game at 14 with around 3:30 left to go in the first half. Blue had a chance from the 30-yard line to score right before half, and quarterback Chace Loehding did complete a pass to Cardell Laughery, but the completion was well short of the end zone.

Fumbling was a problem in the first half, but it was third quarter turnovers that really started to cost the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs strung together some nice drives. They capitalized only once though, scoring on a short run by Laughery. In the second half it was mostly defense that kept them in the game. Blue had three defensive stops inside the 10-yard line.

Down six in the final few minutes of regulation, CCHS took care of the ball and marched down the field. Laughery again punched in a run with 1:09 left in the game to tie it at 28. The ensuing two-point conversion failed. The Bulldogs tried a pass and had a man open, but Loehding had some pressure in his face and the pass fell short.

The Thunder had a chance to win at the end of regulation. A long pass got them inside the 15-yard line with about 50 seconds left. The Bulldogs then got another defensive stop backed up in their own end and forced a turnover on downs.

CCHS got the ball first in overtime. A hard count drew Westby-Grenora offsides so the 'Dogs had a first and goal opportunity from the 5-yard line. They wasted no time scoring on another short Laughery run up the middle from the 2-yard line. The all-important two-point try was successful in the first overtime. Since Blue had ran up the middle so successfully to end regulation and at the start of overtime, a sweep was wide open.

The Thunder scored on a pass play on their second play in overtime. They went back to the same play for the conversion and the receiver was again open, but the pass was thrown to wide. The Bulldogs won, 36-34 in overtime.

The overtime thriller was the first overtime game played by the CCHS Bulldogs since 2003 when they defeated the Longhorns in Wibaux during their homecoming.

CCHS won their homecoming game and gave the crowd an exciting game on Friday, but they will need to cut down on turnovers in order to defeat Plentywood at an away game this Friday night.

 

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