Becker Wins Second Straight Title

NSO – NEWS RELEASE

South St. Paul’s run-first offense specializes in chewing up yards and draining the clock. To make their offense go, the Packers need the ball. To play catch-up is a tall task for the Packers.

Becker put South St. Paul in that situation from the start Friday afternoon with a dazzling offensive display and smothering defense that forced South St. Paul into an unenviable position in the Class AAAA championship game.

The Bulldogs got going early and didn’t let the Packers up for air en route to a 35-14 victory at TCF Bank Stadium on the University of Minnesota campus.

Gabe Dertinger rushed for 151 yards on 20 carries and scored two touchdowns to power the undefeated Bulldogs (13-0) to their 25th consecutive victory over the past two seasons and a successful repeat of their Class AAAA championship.

It is Becker’s third state football championship overall. The Bulldogs also claimed a championship trophy in 2005 among their 15 state tournament appearances.

Becker was off and running in building a 28-0 lead at the half.

The Bulldogs’ dominance was evident early with a running game that went for big gains and a passing game that left the Packers guessing.

Becker compiled 347 yards in the first half on 41 plays. Dertinger led the way with 119 yards on 11 carries and scored two touchdowns. He gave the Bulldogs a four-touchdown lead at the break on a 3-yard run with 3:38 left in the second quarter. He also had a 41-yard scoring run late in the first quarter.

Bulldogs quarterback Andrew Stanger completed 9 of 15 passes in the first half for 187 yards and a touchdown, a 77-yarder by Clayton Gallus. Stanger ended up 12 of 18 for 219 yards.

Milan Kent, a senior fullback and linebacker, was an all-around force. He had 21 yards rushing, 86 yards receiving, and on defense, had 10 tackles and two tackles for loss.

South St. Paul (11-2), making its first appearance in a Prep Bowl championship game, was held to 55 yards on 27 plays in the first half. The Packers managed four first downs and had the ball for just 7:41.

Midway through the fourth quarter, the Packers had gained just 80 total yards while the Bulldogs were closing in on 450.

Becker closed out the scoring for the Bulldogs on a 3-yard run by Stanger with 5:15 left in regulation time to give Becker a 35-0 lead. His run capped a 14-play, 75-yard drive that drained six minutes from the clock.

South St. Paul eased the sting with two late touchdowns. The first was a 1-yard run by Dan Pietruszewski with less than three minutes remaining. The next was an 11-yard TD pass from Pietruszewski to Austin Brandecker with 1:54 left.

The Packers had clearly seized some lately momentum and it continued moments later when they seized a second consecutive onside kick to make things really interesting. But the Packers’ possession would stall with 51 seconds left on Becker’s 35-yard line.

South St. Paul finished with 199 yards of offense on 56 plays, most coming in the final half of the fourth quarter.

Pietruszewski had the Packers’ biggest output with 80 yards on 5-of-19 passing and he rushed for 38 yards.

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