Dragons claim win in Bridgeport
Dragon football defeated Bridgeport, Nebraska, on the road Friday evening, Sept. 10, by a score of 27-20 to improve their season record to 2-0.
After a scoreless opening quarter, Holyoke scored two touchdowns in the second to Bridgeport’s one to take a 13-6 lead at halftime.
Both teams scored touchdowns in the third quarter, narrowing Holyoke’s lead to 20-14. Each team had fourth-quarter turnovers that led to touchdowns for the 27-20 final.
“I was really proud of them,” coach Dusty Sprague said of the Dragons. “They stuck in there and found a way to win the game.”
He acknowledged that the team made some mistakes, but they’ll look at those situations, make corrections and go from there. He noted that they knew having three games on the road against their first three opponents would be a challenge.
“We did enough to win even with all the travel, mistakes and adversity,” Sprague said. “That’s a compliment to the kids.”
Bridgeport received the game’s opening kickoff but ultimately had to punt without getting a first down.
The Dragons started their first possession from their own 37-yard line. After getting two first downs, the drive stalled and Bridgeport took over at Holyoke’s 35-yard line after Ivan Ponce recovered a high snap for an attempted punt on fourth down.
Holyoke got the ball right back on Bridgeport’s next play from scrimmage. Cade Killin stripped the ball away from the Bridgeport ball carrier to give the Dragons possession near midfield.
A Holyoke penalty and a quarterback sack stopped the second Dragon offensive drive, and after the punt, Bridgeport took over at their own 37.
The Dragons again quickly got the ball back. Miles Sprague snagged an interception at Holyoke’s 35-yard line and gave the Dragons possession in Bulldog territory in the closing minute of the first quarter.
Holyoke opened the second with a quarterback keeper by Wyatt Sprague, giving Holyoke first and goal from the Bulldog 9.
After a 5-yard handoff to Tyson Mosenteen, Wyatt Sprague ran it in himself from the 4-yard line for the first score of the game. The Dragons did not convert the two-point conversion, and the score was 6-0 with a little over 10 minutes left in the half.
On their next possession, the Bulldogs were able to secure two first downs and set up their offense on Holyoke’s 39-yard line. Dragon defense held strong, sacking the Bulldog quarterback, forcing Bridgeport to punt on a fourth-and-19 from Holyoke’s 47.
The Dragons started on their own 18-yard line. A high snap was recovered by the Bulldogs, who scored their first touchdown of the night. The extra point was no good, and the game was tied 6-6 with a little over six minutes left in the half.
Holyoke started from its own 33 after the subsequent kickoff. Wyatt Sprague completed a pass to Mosenteen, who took the ball just past midfield for a first down.
Eventually the Dragons had fourth-and-5 from the Bulldog 32. Holyoke elected to go for it and got the first down on a Bridgeport pass interference call.
A pass to Mosenteen and one to Miles Sprague gave the Dragons first-and-goal. On second-and-goal from the Bulldog 12, Wyatt Sprague completed a pass to Cash Weber to give the Dragons the lead. Ponce split the uprights to make the score 13-6.
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