Briggsdale Falcons Outlast Bulldogs 72-29

The Peetz Bulldog Football team hosted the rival Briggsdale Falcons Friday night in Peetz and came out on the wrong side of a 72-to-39 final score. It was a close and competitive game that the Bulldogs lost control of in the second half, handing them their first loss of the season.

Briggsdale started the game with the ball on the Bulldogs’ 35 yard line after a good kickoff return, and after a few plays senior tight end Layne Brown reeled in a six yard touchdown pass to open the scoring. Briggsdale then showed their defensive speed, shutting down the Bulldogs’ sweep attempts and forcing a punt. The punt backed Briggsdale up all the way to their own 10 yard line, but an illegal shift on Peetz prior to the punt caused a re-kick, and the Falcons took over on their own 34 yard line. Peetz was able to contain the Falcons’ running game effectively, but struggled in pass coverage. After a run on third and long brought them into Peetz territory, the Bulldogs’ defense stiffened but gave up a fourth down touchdown pass to wide open junior Shane Donoho to move the score to 16-to-0.

Peetz senior Nolan Hill fired back, taking the ensuing kickoff 65 yards for a touchdown, and the Bulldogs were on the board at 16-to-6. Peetz followed up by forcing a fumble on the Falcons’ next drive, and senior Aiden Curtis was able to get the ball into the end zone on a fourth down deep in Briggsdale territory, and the Falcons’ lead was trimmed to 16-to-12. Peetz then forced a turnover on downs, and then followed by punting after being unable to gain a first down. But junior Michael Kissell was stripped of the ball on a pass attempt, and Briggsdale recovered deep in Peetz territory.

The Bulldogs hung tough and Hill was able to scoop up a fumble after pass reception and bring it all the way for a touchdown, and the Bulldogs grabbed the lead at 19-to-16. Briggsdale then was able to move the ball, and cashed in on a four yard touchdown run to re-take the lead at 24-to-19. Again Hill fired back, and took the ensuing kickoff 65 yards for another touchdown, this time patiently waiting for holes to open and following his blockers to put Peetz back in the lead at 25-to-24. But it was the last time the Bulldogs would lead, as the Falcons scored on a touchdown pass to junior Malik Carlson to take the lead 30-to-25 going into the intermission.

Briggsdale then shut down Peetz’s first drive of the second half and Carlson then took a handoff up the middle and broke through the secondary for a long touchdown run to extend the lead to 38-to-25. Peetz’s next possession ended with a punt deep in their own territory that glanced off a Briggsdale defender and was recovered on the Bulldogs’ one yard line. Carlson then took the ball in for another touchdown to make the score 44-to-25, and the Falcons never looked back, ending the game with a final score of 72-to-39 and handing the Bulldogs their first loss of the season. Peetz looks to get back on the winning track as they travel to take on the 3-and-0 Fleming Wildcats on Thursday.