Bulldogs Finish Strong On Long Night
It was a football game, the Bainville Bulldogs and Brockton Warriors will likely remember for years to come.
Bainville defeated Brockton 47-13 in six-man football action, but the final score told only part of the story. A lighting failure forced the teams to wait about an hour and then move the game to Culbertson, turning an ordinary night under the lights into a late-night test of patience and determination.
The Bulldogs took a 6-0 lead in the opening quarter and added 12 points in the second. Bainville quarterback Evan Anderson connected with Parker Berwick on a 40-yard touchdown pass and later found Keagan Vaira for a 15-yard score. Vaira’s touchdown completed a 34yard drive with 1:07 remaining before halftime.
Brockton got on the scoreboard when quarterback Tefton Bear completed a 15-yard touchdown pass. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful.
An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Bainville on a fourth-down play gave Brockton the ball at the Bulldogs’ 20-yard line. Bainville’s defense answered the challenge, however, and the Bulldogs headed into halftime with an 18-6 lead.
Bainville began pulling away in the third quarter. Anderson connected with Rylan Iverson for a 30-yard touchdown to finish a 36yard drive. The pair teamed up again on the one-point conversion, extending the Bulldogs’ lead to 25-6.
Anderson later found Berwick for a 10-yard touchdown at the end of a 37-yard drive. A successful two-point kick gave Bainville a 33-6 advantage with 5:27 remaining in the quarter.
The Warriors continued to fight. Bear completed a 3-yard touchdown pass to cap a 45-yard drive and then connected with the same receiver for the one-point conversion, cutting Bainville’s lead to 33-13.
Then the lights went out. With 3:05 remaining in the third quarter, play came to a stop. After waiting about an hour, players, coaches and fans packed up and made their way to the Culbertson Public Schools field to finish the game. Play resumed at 10:55 p.m.
The unusual interruption did little to slow the Bulldogs. Anderson connected with Vaira for another touchdown, and a successful twopoint kick increased Bainville’s lead to 41-13.
Vaira added the final score of the night by returning an interception 65 yards for a touchdown, sealing the Bulldogs’ 47-13 victory.
The final whistle sounded at about 11:15 p.m., bringing an end to a long night of football played on two fields. Both teams stayed with it through the delay, giving their communities a game that will not soon be forgotten.
