Boyceville Bulldogs maul Clear Lake Warrriors 50-7 to remain unbeaten for the season
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by Joel DeWitt
Sports Correspondent
CLEAR LAKE — The Boyceville football team traveled to Clear Lake late Friday, September 29 with hopes of ruining the Warriors homecoming festivities, and the Bulldogs did just that.
Boyceville (7-0, 5-0) scored on seven of nine possessions, including four, first-half touchdowns, and outgained the Warriors by almost 300 yards to cruise to a 50-7 victory.
“I liked how we came out focused for this game,” commented coach Michael Roemhild. He continued, “We were able to march down the field even with two big penalties and get a score with Braden (Roemhild) on a tough run with some great blocks. Carson (Roemhild) found Zach Hellendrung with a 2-point pass, and it was no looking back from there.”
This is the second time in three weeks Boyceville has put 50 on the scoreboard. Two weeks prior the Bulldogs beat a tough Elmwood/Plum City squad 50-6.
Boyceville started the scoring early. After receiving the opening kickoff, they took it 72 yards in seven plays for the early 8-0 lead with 8:05 left in the first quarter.
The touchdown was set up by a 50-yard reception by Caden Wold to put his team on the Warrior 32 yard line. Braden Roemhild capped the drive with an 8-yard scamper for the score.
The next Bulldog drive proved similar to the first. This seven-play drive covered 75 yards and extended Boyceville’s lead to 14-0.
Big plays again proved crucial for the drive’s success. Runs of 14 yards or more by Hellendrung, Nick Olson, and Braden Roemhild set the Bulldogs up deep in Warrior territory.
Carson Roemhild then found Devin Halama open in the end zone for the 21-yard touchdown reception.
The ensuing Clear Lake possession proved fruitless, and a short punt gave the Bulldogs the ball back on the Warriors’ own 33 yard line.
Four plays later Hellendrung carried the ball across the goal line for the touchdown. Hellendrung’s kicking PAT set the score at 21-0 with 7:08 left in the second quarter.
The Bulldogs got one more chance to score in the first half and capitalized on that opportunity. Starting on Clear Lake’s side of the field, the Bulldogs took it 37 yards in five plays for the touchdown.
Carson Roemhild connected with Wold for a 17-yard gain and the score to extend the Boyceville lead to 28-0 before halftime.
The second half, in particular the third quarter, proved similar to the first 24 minutes of the game. The Bulldogs scored three times in the first six minutes of the half to blow open the game.
Hellendrung recovered his second-half opening kickoff near midfield to set the Bulldogs up in great field position. One play later Carson Roemhild found an open Wold for a 7-yard catch. Wold subsequently lateraled the ball to Olson who took it in for the score.
The play covered 40 yards and resulted in Boyceville extending their advantage to 35-0 with less then a minute off the clock in the third quarter.
The Bulldogs stretched their lead to 43-0 a few minutes later when Hellendrung scored his second touchdown of the evening, this one from one yard out.
Olson capped the scoring on the evening for the Bulldogs when he carried it across the goal line from three yards out for the score with 6:16 left in the third quarter. The extra point by Hellendrung put the Bulldogs up by 50 with a quarter and a half remaining.
Clear Lake scored a touchdown early in the fourth, but a running clock due to the mercy rule and a tough Boyceville defense sealed the victory for the Bulldogs.
“Defensively we were really flying around and making plays,” remarked coach Roemhild. “We limited Clear Lake to under 100 yards of offense, even though they had the ball for almost half the game.”
The Bulldog defense held the Warriors to only 93 total yards on the night, 90 yards on the ground and only a single reception for three yards. They also allowed only four first downs.
The Bulldog offense saw a plethora of players contribute to the effort. Seven Bulldog rushers logged carries and four receivers had catches.
Of the seven rushers, three had over 50 yards on the night. Olson led the way with 68 yards on eight carries. Jake Bialzik and Braden Roemhild had 56 and 55 yards, respectively.
Through the air Carson Roemhild went 8-11 for 150 yards and two touchdowns. Wold was his primary target with four catches for 66 yards.
“Now our focus is on Cadott who just came off a huge win against Spring Valley,” indicated coach Roemhild. “We know what type of team Cadott is, this is a big rivalry game for us, and we know it is going to be four quarters of physicality.”
Cadott’s win over Spring Valley, who was previously unbeaten in D-SC action, leaves the Bulldogs alone on top of the conference standings with two games to play.
Boyceville will host a Hornet squad that is riding a three-game conference win streak heading into their October 6 matchup. Kickoff is slated for 7:00 p.m.