OTC to travel to Underwood on Friday night

Mason Hammer races past a group of Pillager defenders during Friday’s game in Henning. Hammer finished with 41 yards rushing in the game.

Otter Tail Central had a flare of home cooking as the Bulldogs picked up a pair of wins at home to open the season. 

The Bulldogs opened the year with a 28-27 win over Breckenridge in Battle Lake on September 1, before cruising to a 43-7 win over Pillager on Friday night in Henning. 

This week the Bulldogs will travel to Underwood to take on a familiar foe in the Underwood Rockets. The Rockets are 0-2 on the season after falling to Pelican Rapids by a score of 52-12 to open the season on September 1 and Roseau by a score of 14-6 on Friday. 

September 1

Lane Dilly picked off a pass during the first half of Friday’s game in Henning. During the return he even knocked off the helmet of a Pillager player. 

Jack Mekalson threw 3 touchdown passes and Owen Buehler returned an interception for a touchdown as the OTC Bulldogs defeated the Breckenridge Cowboys by a score of 28-27 on September 1. 

The Bulldogs took an 8-0 lead at the end of the first quarter when Buehler picked off a pass and returned it 62-yards for a touchdown. Tyler Christensen converted the two-point conversion to give OTC an early lead.

OTC made the score 14-0 when Mekalson threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Mason Dalluge, before the Cowboys scored a pair of touchdowns late in the second quarter to tie the game up at 14-14 at halftime.

The Bulldogs came out of the gate on fire in the third quarter as Mekalson found Buehler for a 33-yard touchdown pass and Dalluge on a 76-yard pass to make the score 28-14 heading into the fourth quarter.

Cam Nieto scored a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter to pull the Cowboys to within a point a 28-27 late in the fourth quarter. The point after kick on his second touchdown of the quarter was no good leaving the Bulldogs in front 28-27, They were able to run out the clock and come away with the one point win.

Carter Kenyon drives a Pillager defender down the field during Friday’s game in Henning.

Mekalson led the way offensively for OTC as he went 6-10 for 187 yards and 3 touchdowns, while Dalluge caught 4 of those passes for 141 yards and a pair of scores. Buehler caught 1 pass for 33 yards and a touchdown, while Drew Johnson caught 1 pass for 13 yards.

Mason Hammer led the way on the ground as he rushed 8 times for 33 yards, while Bricker Bladow rushed 4 times for 15 yards. Mekalson rushed 3 times for 3 yards to round out the rushing attack for OTC.

Friday

Jack Mekalson threw 4 touchdown passes as the OTC Bulldogs blew past the Pillager Huskies by a score of 43-7 on Friday night. 

The Bulldogs took an early 22-0 lead after Buehler was on the receiving end of a 60-yard and 2-yard touchdown pass from Mekalson, while the Bulldogs also scored on the ground on a 3-yard run to give them a 22-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The offensive onslaught continued in the second quarter as Mason Dalluge caught an 8-yard pass from Mekalson to put the Bulldogs up 29-0, before Christian Hooge scored Pillager’s lone touchdown of the game on a 14-yard run to leave the score at 29-7 at halftime.

Bricker Bladow races through a hole on Friday night. He finished with 77 yards rushing.

Mason Hammer caught a 6-yard pass in the third quarter and Bricker Bladow ended the scoring attack in the fourth quarter on a 3-yard run to make the score 43-7 in favor of OTC. 

Mekalson had a big game through the air as he went 9-12 for 142 yard and 4 touchdowns.

Bladow was the leading rusher as he rushed 10 times for 77 yards and a touchdown, while Mekalson rushed 6 times for 42 yards. Hammer rushed 9 times for 41 yards and Chris Fronning rushed 2 times for 19 yards.

Buehler led the team in receiving with 4 catches for 87 yards and 2 touchdowns. Dalluge caught 3 passes for 36 yards and a touchdown, while Drew Johnson caught 1 pass for 13 yards and Hammer caught 1 pass for 6 yards and a touchdown.