Songbirds
and the sound of football fill the air at the beautiful sun-soaked
Lummi School Field as the Bellingham Bulldogs welcome the visiting
Portland Raiders Saturday, June 6th.
The Raiders use their air attack to move quickly into the red zone.
Taking advantage of the pace, Portland is first to score. A defensive
turnover gives the Raiders a shortened field. They do not waste the
opportunity and score another touchdown in the first quarter. The
Dogs tried to establish a ground attack. After a huge defensive
penalty Cody Oakes finds Tobi Seim in the end zone. Bellingham
narrows the lead.
The
Bulldogs start the second quarter with a long strike to wide receiver
Kyle Redmond. A Raiders' penalty puts Bellingham in the red zone
giving running back Donovan Dunmore an opportunity to punch it in
from the three-yard line, tying the game. Portland does not flinch as
they drive down field and score on a quick seam route. Portland
catches the Bulldogs off guard and throws deep after a defensive
turnover, scoring another touchdown from forty-five yards out and
increasing their lead before halftime.
The
second half starts hot for Bellingham as they march down field using
their running game. The Bulldogs finish the drive off with a bullet
from Oakes to Redmond into the end zone. Bellingham's defense stops
the Raiders and the Bulldogs take advantage. Feeding the ball to
Redmond on three straight plays, Bellingham moves into the red zone
where Oakes is able to cap the drive with another touchdown. The game
is tied heading into the fourth quarter.
The
Raiders waste no time in scoring again after a few long throws down
field, Portland pulls out ahead. The Bulldogs claw back. Oakes finds
wide receiver Douglas Miller for a big gain. The addition of a
defensive penalty puts Bellingham in the red zone. Oakes finishes off
the drive with a fifteen yard touchdown scramble. The Bulldogs
defense is lifted by an interception from Seim and Bellingham uses
Dunmore again to pound the rock. But the drive stalls. Bellingham and
Portland trade possessions with neither team getting the advantage.
As two minutes remain on the clock the Bulldogs face a fourth and
long. Oakes finds tight end Jaa Gordon over the middle for a first
down. With under a minute to go Bellingham attempts a field goal but
it sails left.
Portland
gets the advantage of first possession in overtime and they do not
hesitate scoring one more touchdown. The Raiders end the Bulldogs
chances at a win with an interception. Final score: 35-42. Click here
to view photos from the game.