Badgers Bite the Bulldogs

For Homecoming, the Badgers welcomed the Northern C, 3rd-seeded Choteau Bulldogs to Cascade. With an amped-up crowd and perfect fall football weather, the game was on. The Bulldogs found early success on the ground and punched in a score. The Badgers got the ball back, and on the first play of their second drive, Ian McKamey slipped up the middle behind a Hal McGregor kick-out block that could be heard from the stands. McKamey sprinted, slicing through the Choteau defense for a 65-yard touchdown. On the ensuing two-point attempt, Peyton Hauk evaded his defender and caught a dart from McKamey, tying the game at 8-8.

On the next drive, the determined Bulldogs worked hard to move the chains against the Badger defense. Stiff line play and swarming linebackers limited their gains. Taking to the air, the Choteau passer dropped back, looking for a target in the end zone. He let it fly, only to be intercepted by Izaak Munski, who returned the ball to the Choteau 31-yard line. The Badgers drove into Bulldog territory but turned it over on downs. Then the Bulldogs advanced into Badger territory but also turned it over on downs. The end of the first quarter score was 8-8.

The next offensive drive featured a hard run by Sterling Byrnes and a 17-yard connection between McKamey and Kameron Kakalecik. After a 10-yard run by Standley and a reception by Munski, Kakalecik caught a curl route on 4th and 8 to keep the drive alive. Three plays later, McKamey hit Kakalecik on a screen pass for a 12-yard touchdown strike, followed by a McKamey-Kakalecik two-point conversion, making it 16-8 Badgers.

The Bulldogs responded with a score, but the Badger defense shut down the two-point conversion. With 10 seconds left in the first half, McKamey hit Kakalecik with a long throw in the corner of the end zone for a huge touchdown strike. McKamey then ran in the two-point conversion, giving the Badgers a 24-14 lead going into halftime.

The Bulldogs drove and scored on their opening second-half drive but missed the two-point conversion, bringing the score to 24-20 Badgers. After a Badger punt, Choteau drove the length of the field, scoring and taking the lead at 26-24. Facing a deficit and looking to make a comeback, McKamey ripped off a 48-yard run, pinballing down the field behind his blockers. Trevor Standley capped it off with a 9-yard touchdown run, making it 30-26 Badgers.

On the next drive, the Badger defense had the Bulldogs pinned deep in their own territory. On a 4th and 23, the Bulldogs muffed the punt, and a swarm of black-and-gold players swarmed the punter in the end zone for a safety. The Badgers got the ball back, looking to extend their lead. On 3rd and 17, with pressure at full force, McKamey followed a team of blockers up the middle and scored on a 25-yard run, bringing the score to 38-26.

With their Homecoming win on the line, the defense flexed its muscles. Forfeiting only small gains, the Badgers forced a turnover on downs with only 8 minutes left. The offense stayed on the ground, working to run out the clock. With about 4 minutes left in the 4th quarter, the Bulldogs completed a deep pass and scored, bringing the score to 38-34 in favor of the Badgers. After milking more time off the clock, the Badgers were forced to punt the ball back to the Bulldogs. With just under 2 minutes left and the ball in their possession, the Bulldogs could drive for the win as time expired. The Badger defense had other ideas; Izaak Munski intercepted the Bulldog passer for the second time, sending a roar through the crowd and sealing the win for the Black and Gold.

Final Score: Badgers 38 – 34