Return to Sports Archives

Sauk Centre had seven plays that gained over 40 yards, including two that went for more than 70 yards and two that went for more than 50. In all, the Mainstreeters (7-1 overall and 5-0 in the WCC South) gained 561 yards on 44 plays, averaging nearly 13 yards per play.

The Bulldogs were able to move the ball against Sauk Centre, gaining 341 yards, but the Dogs had four drives into Sauk Centre territory end without scoring.

Junior quarterback Jamie Paul pitches the football on the option before getting hit by a Sauk Centre defender on Wednesday, Oct. 20. The Dogs drove the ball against Sauk, but the Streeters used big plays to win the conference title, finishing 5-0 in the West Central Conference South.

The Dogs did control the ball, running 71 plays, but Sauk's offense did not have to run many plays because they hit big plays.

The Dogs, for instance, took the opening kickoff and drove 46 yards in ten plays to the Mainstreeters' 25-yard line, controlling the ball for the first five and a half minutes of the game. But they turned the ball over on downs. Sauk Centre needed only 30 seconds to score their first touchdown, with junior Anthony Carpenter breaking loose on a 70-yard touchdown run on Sauk's second play from scrimmage.

After a Dogs' three-and-out possession and punt, Sauk Centre needed only two more plays to score their second touchdown, and take a 16-0 lead, when senior Andrew Rousslange caught a 53-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Dustin Meyer.

The Bulldogs' defense had their best showing in the second quarter, forcing Sauk Centre's only punt and then ending a Streeters' drive with a fumble recovery by senior linebacker Mike Mueller.

The Dogs drove into Sauk territory again to start the second quarter but again that drive stalled around the Streeters' 20-yard line.

With two minutes to go in the first half, Sauk Centre scored in only a minute on a four-play, 63-yard drive, using a 40-yard pass to get into the end zone for a third time, taking a 22-0 lead.

The Bulldogs had their best drive in the last minute of the first half. Junior quarterback Jamie Paul hit sophomore running back Matt Hansen for a 35-yard completion and then hit sophomore running back Randy Leyendecker on a 12-yard pass play. Paul then scampered 17 yards on a fourth-down scramble to get inside the Streeters' 10-yard line with eight seconds to play in the half. But the Dogs dropped a touchdown pass in the end zone, and then Leyendecker was stopped on an option play on the two-yard line on the last play of the half.

Sauk Centre scored on its first three possessions of the second half and its JV offense was driving on their fourth possession before taking a knee inside the Dogs' 10-yard line. The Streeters took the second-half kickoff and drove 66 yards in six plays, with the key plays being a 50-yard pass completion and a five-yard touchdown pass.

Junior linebacker Aaron Bachman tries to make a shoestring tackle of Sauk Centre senior fullback Anthony Carpenter last week.

The Dogs drove into Streeters' territory on their first possession of the half, but an interception ended that drive, their fourth entry into Sauk territory without scoring any points.

Sauk then hit a 72-yard pass to set up a short touchdown run and lead 36-0. Sauk likes to run and gained 341 yards rushing, but they also hit on five of seven passes for 220 yards, including four plays over 40 yards and three touchdowns.

The Bulldogs drove 70 yards in 16 plays and scored early in the fourth quarter. Leyendecker ran for 36 yards on the drive (105 yards for the game) and scored on a three-yard touchdown run.

Sauk answered this score, though, going 70 yards in three plays. Their second play was a 26-yard run, and the third was a 40-yard touchdown run.

Hansen returned the ensuing kickoff 55 yards for the Bulldogs, giving them possession in Sauk territory, and Paul then hit junior Sean Glenz with a 34-yard pass down to Sauk's one-yard line. Hansen scored the Dogs' second touchdown on a one-yard run.

Sauk Centre then ran out the clock with a 13-play, 79-yard drive by their JV offense against the Dogs' JV defense.

With the loss, the Dogs ended the regular season with a record of 2-5 overall and 2-3 in the WCC South. The Dogs finished fourth in the conference. Final conference standings were: Sauk 5-0, Benson 3-2, LQPV 3-2, Paynesville 2-3, Montevideo 1-4, and Morris 1-4.

The Dogs were seeded seventh in Section 5AA and played second-seeded ACGC on Tuesday, Oct. 26, in the section quarterfinals. If the Dogs win, they will play in the section semifinals, at either third-seeded Holdingford or sixth-seeded Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted, on Saturday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m.

Sauk Centre--	16	6	14	7	-- 43
Paynesville--	0	0	0	14	-- 14

Scoring Summary
First Quarter
SC-Anthony Carpenter 70 run (Jake Uphus run);
SC-Andrew Rousslange 53 pass from Dustin Meyer (Uphus run);
Second Quarter
SC-Jared Poepping 40 pass from Meyer (run failed);
Third Quarter
SC-Carpenter 5 pass from Meyer (Jon Ellens kick);
SC-Uphus 2 run (Ellens kick);
Fourth Quarter
Pay-Randy Leyendecker 3 run (Justin Butkofski kick);
SC-Carpenter 44 run (Ellens kick);
Pay-Matt Hansen 1 run (Butkofski kick).

Individual Statistics
Rushing (attempts-yards-TDs): Randy Leyendecker 22-105-1; Aaron Bachman 8-39; Matt Hansen 8-28-1; Mike Mueller 9-28; Jamie Paul 5-22;
Passing (completions-attempts-yards-INTs): Paul 7-18-119-1; Leyen-decker 0-1;
Receiving (receptions-yards): Sean Glenz 1-34; Hansen 1-35; Leyendecker 2-28; Mueller 2-16; Dustin Utsch 1-6;
Fumble Recoveries: Mueller 1.