By Chad Koenen

Publisher

The Otter Tail Central Bulldogs dropped their second game in a row as they came out on the short end of a 42-6 game to undefeated and eighth ranked Hancock on Wednesday night.

Hancock was able to control the tempo throughout the contest as they outgained the Bulldogs in total offense by a 413-72 margin. The Owls passed for 228 yards and added another 185 yards on the ground. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs passed for 40 yards and gained 32 yards rushing. The two teams combined to go 2-19 on third downs with the Bulldogs making both of those third down conversions. The Bulldogs also committed four turnovers in the game as they lost three fumbles and one interception.

Hancock opened the scoring when they found the end zone on a 15-yard interception return for a touchdown. Later in the first quarter, Riley Miller caught a 37-yard pass from Brady Luthi for Hancock’s second touchdown of the quarter. 

Hancock’s Nathan Kellenberger took over from there as he scored three straight touchdowns on a pair of passes and a 43-yard run to put the Owls up 34-0 in the second quarter. The Owls added another touchdown late in the second quarter on a Winston Schaefer 3-yard run to put Hancock up 42-0 at halftime.

OTC scored the lone touchdown of the second half in the third quarter when Elijah Fronning scored on an 11-yard pass from Braxtyn Cameron to make the score 42-6 in favor of Hancock.

Cameron led the way offensively as the quarterback went 5-11 passing for 40 yards and a touchdown, while William Schwartz and Fronning led the way on the ground with 17 yards rushing. Teigan Bjerke was the leading receiver with two catches for 23 yards. 

With the loss the Bulldogs fall to 5-3 on the season and will host sixth seeded Rothsay in the opening round of the Section 4 nine-man tournament. Earlier this season the Bulldogs defeated the 1-7 Tigers by a score of 34-28. The game will get underway at 6 p.m. in Henning.

The winner of Tuesday’s game will take on second seeded Border West on Saturday in Wheaton. The Buccaneers received a bye in the opening round of the section tournament after Ortonville forfeited their playoff game to Border West.

The Bulldogs fell to Border West by a score of 43-14 on Friday, Oct. 11.

First Quarter

Hancock- TD- 15 Yd Interception Return (Failed Two-Point Conversion)

Hancock- TD- Riley Miller 37 Yd Pass From Brady Luthi (Failed Two-Point Conversion)

Hancock- TD- Nathan Kellenberger 67 Yd Pass From Brady Luthi (Nathan Kellenberger Run For Two-Point Conversion)

Second Quarter

Hancock- TD- Nathan Kellenberger 7 Yd Pass From Brady Luthi (Two-Point Conversion)

Hancock- TD- Nathan Kellenberger 43 Yd Run (Failed Two-Point Conversion) 0 34

Hancock- TD- Winston Schaefer 3 Yd Run (Nathan Kellenberger Run For Two-Point Conversion)

Third Quarter

OTC- TD- Elijah Fronning 11 Yd Pass From Braxtyn Cameron (Failed Two-Point Conversion)

TEAM TOTALS: TOTAL YARDS: OTC 72, H 413; PASSING YARDS: OTC 40, H 228; RUSHIGN YARDS OTC 32, H 185; FIRST DOWNS: OTC 6, H 15

INDIVIDUAL

RUSHING: W. Schwartz 9-17-0, E. Fronning 2-17-0, M. Nelson 4-16-0, T. Soma 2-1-0, G. Froslee 1-1-0, T. Bjerke 4-0-0, S. Mills 1-0-0

PASSING: B. Cameron 5-11-40-1-1

RECEIVING: T. Bjerke 2-23-1, E. Fronning 2-17-1, W. Schwartz 1-0-0